The Earth on Fire
by Luna de Rivera
Summary: When Kioni left her hometown of Omashu, all she wanted to do was see the world. She didn't sign up for any of this Avatar-hunting/saving-the-world business. ZukoxOC. Follows the main storyline.
1. The Princess of Omashu

**Hi guys! This is my first Avatar story, so any feedback you have is appreciated! Thank you and enjoy. :)**

* * *

"I'll take three mangoes, two papayas, and a bottle of lychee juice please," I said, glancing over the other delicacies available in the bustling Omashu market.

"Good choice," the shopkeeper smiled. "Can I interest you in one of these necklaces as well?" he asked, holding up a chain with a glowing green rock pendant. "It's made of genomite," he explained as I watched with wide green eyes. "Makes for an excellent snack."

"I'll take two," I decided, handing over a few more gold pieces. "One for my grandfather as well."

"Ah, yes, King Bumi does love creeping crystal," the shopkeeper said. "Thank you, Princess. Have a wonderful day!"

"You as well, Liu!" I waved as I walked through the streets of my kingdom, enjoying the pleasantly busy atmosphere of the city. I was thankful for the ability to be able to roam without encountering trouble; even as the granddaughter of the king, most people payed me no mind. Granted, dressed in a simple tunic and pants, I was a lot less noticeable than when I donned my palace gown.

Glancing around, I took in the sights and sounds: shopkeepers haggling with customers, children screaming with delight as they ran around the square while their mothers stood and gossiped nearby, the delivery system carts whizzing down their tracks - Omashu was truly a peaceful kingdom, a wonderful place for a girl to grow up.

So why did I feel so trapped?

Sighing, I sat down on the edge of a delivery cart intersection. I pulled out a mango and bit into it, enjoying the juicy sweet flavor as I gazed across my city. What I wanted more than anything else was to travel the world, but I knew my grandfather would never allow it. After both my parents were killed in the Fire Nation war, Bumi had grown deeply protective of me, his only granddaughter.

As I was mulling over my thoughts, a loud scream captured my attention. Looking up, I gasped and jumped out of the way just as a cart full of people sped through the intersection, knocking over a few other carts, skidded down a roof and landed in one of the passages.

Leaping to my feet, I stared at the cart. I could see three people, two dressed in blue and the third with an insane amount of white hair on his head. Intruders! Thinking quickly, I leapt into one of the carts they had knocked over and used my earthbending to propel myself into the chute behind them.

They were quite a ways ahead of me, but I used my bending to get within range. I stood on the cart like a surfboard, weaving through the tunnels so I didn't lose them. The boy in blue turned around and looked at me. I narrowed my eyes back at him and he turned to the front.

"We've got company!" he warned. The other two turned to stare at me as well.

"Aang, do something! Use your airbending!" the girl cried. I blinked, almost missing the turn. Airbending? Had I heard right? As far as I knew, the Air Nomads had been wiped out ages ago. _  
_

"Yeah, good idea!" the voice that came from the big haired man was much too high to belong to an adult. "That'll make us go even faster!" Before my eyes, the cart shot forward as dust was propelled backwards. Coughing, I narrowed my eyes further and shot myself forward as to not lose them.

I chased them through the city, hot on their trail as they whizzed around corners, up hills and sometimes veered off track. As they reached another intersection, they shot off course as the bender there stared in awe.

"Princess! What are you doing?" he cried as I stopped my cart and took off after them by foot.

"Chasing intruders! Call the guards!" I ordered, and the bender ran off, looking terrified. I cut across the roofs, sliding down and leaping over chimneys. To my amazement again, I saw the big haired one swipe through the air to create a softer landing... as they tumbled into a cabbage stand, the cart shattering.

"My cabbages!" the cabbage merchant wailed. "You'll pay for this!" he pointed to them in anger. I ran up, panting slightly and pointed at them.

"You're all under arrest!" I cried.

"Says who?" questioned the boy cheekily and the girl, who looked to be his sister, elbowed him. I glared.

"Says the Princess of Omashu," I replied stonily. The boy gulped and hung his head appropriately. "Take them to the king!" I turned my back on them and marched off, smiling slightly. Yup, I was definitely the king's granddaughter.

* * *

"A feast?" I cried, staring at my grandfather incredulously. "They broke into the city, damaged the delivery system and destroyed a cart of cabbages, and you want to throw them a _feast_?"

"That's what I said," Bumi replied cheerily. "Now get ready, we want to look our best!" Grumbling, I stalked off to my room. I really did not understand my grandfather sometimes.

Thirty minutes later, I sat alongside my grandfather and across from the three guests, dressed in my palace gown. The youngest boy had now lost his head of hair, and on his forehead there was a blue arrow tattoo. Wasn't that an Air Nomad tattoo? And I had seen the boy airbend, or at least I thought I had. Could it be...?

"So, tell me, young bald one," Bumi asked, sitting back down after shoving a drumstick in the older boy's mouth. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from... Kangaroo Island," he replied after a moment's hesitation.

"Oh, Kangaroo Island, eh?" Bumi repeated, grinning manically. "I hear that place is really... hopping!" There was a beat of silence as they all stared at him and I resisted to the urge to slam my head onto the table. Then, the oldest boy started laughing somewhat uncomfortably.

"Well, all these good jokes are making me tired," Bumi yawned falsely. I stared at him suspiciously. What was he up to? "I guess it's time to hit the hay." He made to get up, but at the last second whirled around and threw a chicken drumstick right at the boy with the tattoo.

He gasped and leaned back in his chair, catching it within a small vortex of swirling air. My jaw dropped. I hadn't been imagining things; he really could airbend!

"There's an airbender in our presence, and not just any airbender," Bumi declared, standing up. "The Avatar!" My eyes widened further. The Avatar...wow! I thought he had been gone for a hundred years. But clearly, here he was, although he didn't look a hundred years old... more like twelve.

"Okay, you caught me!" the Avatar said sheepishly, holding his hands up. "I'm the Avatar. Doing my Avatar thing, keeping the world safe. Everything checks out, no firebenders here, so good work everybody! Love each other, respect all life, and don't run with your spears." He smiled cheerily as he walked backwards with his arms around his two friends' shoulders. "See you next time!"

The guards blocked them from behind. "You can't keep us here!" the girl said. "Let us leave!"

"Lettuce leaf?" Bumi asked, crunching on one. I sighed.

"We're in serious trouble," the older boy whispered. "This guy is nuts." I had to agree with him there.

"Tomorrow the Avatar will face three deadly challenges." Bumi declared. "But for now, the guards will show you to your chamber."

I excused myself as Bumi began arguing with one of his guards about which chamber to send them to. Walking along the corridors, I thought to myself, if he's the Avatar, surely he's traveled all over the world to learn the four types of bending. What I would give to be able to do the same. I decided it couldn't hurt to go talk to them, maybe ask what it was like to travel.

I found the newly refurbished chamber that was once bad and stripped down the wall, entering and then closing it behind me in case they were trying to escape. I blinked once, taking in the scene. The oldest boy was lying on his bed, and the girl was watching the Avatar try to shove his pet lemur into one of the air vents.

"Um... what are you doing?"

Their reactions were quite amusing. The Avatar let out a yell and fell backwards off his chair, the older boy leapt off his bed and started brandishing a boomerang at me and the girl jumped into a fighting stance.

"Whoa, whoa," I held up my hands to show I meant no harm. "I just wanted to talk to you guys. I'm not going to attack you or anything. I'm Kioni."

"I'm Aang!" the Avatar replied, quite cheerily, considering he was technically my prisoner. "And this is Katara and Sokka." He gestured to the two siblings who were still looking at me distrustfully.

"Nice to meet you," I smiled slightly and sat down on one of the beds. "So, you're the Avatar... that means you must have traveled all over the world."

"Don't talk to her!" Sokka interrupted as Aang opened his mouth. "She's clearly trying to get information from us!" He pointed at me dramatically. "You can't fool me, I know you're in cahoots with the king! I'll never talk, earth witch!"

I glanced at Katara, who was staring at her brother warily. "Is he always like this?" I questioned, and she nodded somewhat resignedly. "I swear, I don't want anything from you. I've never been outside of Omashu. Please, tell me, what is it like to travel? It must be amazing."

I saw Aang glance at Katara out of the corner of my eye, and she gave him a shrug. "It's great," he replied, turning back to me. "We travel on Appa, my flying sky bison. We haven't really been anywhere yet, but we're heading to the Northern Water Tribe so Katara and I can master waterbending."

"That sounds incredible," Suddenly, I had a wild idea. "You need to learn earthbending too, right? Maybe... maybe I could come with you and teach you? After you master waterbending, of course."

They all three looked at each other again. "Um, not to seem rude or anything, but your dad kind of imprisoned us," Sokka reminded me.

"Grandfather," I corrected him. "And I wouldn't worry about that. My granddad might be crazy, but he's not evil or anything. I doubt he'd actually want to kill the Avatar."

"Either way, Aang should still be prepared," Katara said, putting a hand on Aang's shoulder. "We should really all get some rest." I hung my head, my heart sinking. It was worth a shot.

"Unless you want to help us and bust us out!" Sokka cried, looking at me hopefully.

"Yeah, afraid I can't do that," I said, getting up to leave. "Night guys. Good luck tomorrow, Aang."

"Bye Princess Kioni," he replied. "I like her," I heard him say to Katara as I closed the earth up behind me. I walked back to my room dejectedly. It looked like I would be stuck in Omashu for the rest of my life. I was so caught up in my disappointment that I didn't notice King Bumi watching me from around the corner.

* * *

The next day, after Aang had completed the three challenges (the lunchbox key, finding my granddad's pet goat-rabbit Flopsy, and fighting him - all easy challenges really, I'd completed them through my earthbending training), Aang discovered that he'd actually been close friends with Bumi a hundred years ago. Who knew?

Watching the Avatar fight my grandfather was amazing. Bumi is incredible, possibly the greatest earthbender of all time, but still Aang was able to evade and eventually get the better of him. I guess he's not the Avatar for nothing. I'm glad I have my grandfather to teach me earthbending - he's taught me everything I know.

"Aang, you have a difficult task ahead," Bumi told him. "The world has changed in the hundred years you've been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai. You have much to learn. You must master the four elements and confront the Fire Lord. And when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius."

Aang smiled and bowed. "And it looks like you're in good hands," Bumi continued, smiling at Sokka and Katara. "You'll need your friends to help you defeat the Fire Nation. And you'll need Momo too!" he added as the lemur perched on Aang's shoulder.

"Grandfather," I spoke up, and Bumi turned to me. "You know how I have always longed to travel the world. I know you worry because of what happened to my parents, but you have trained me well in earthbending. I can defend myself and fight well. The Avatar will need an earthbending teacher. If it's all right with you and Aang, I would love nothing more than to travel with them." I bowed my head, waiting for his response, my heart pounding.

"Umm, no," he replied finally, in that same quirky voice he always used. My head snapped up, looking at him pleadingly.

"But, grandfather-"

"You have your duties in Omashu," he said. "Who else is going to feed Flopsy?" He laughed and snorted, but I didn't find it funny at all.

"This isn't fair!" I stomped my foot, my eyes blazing.

"Kioni, listen-"

"No!" I shouted, blinking back tears. "I've been stuck here my whole life. I want a chance to see the world! How am I supposed to learn anything within these walls? How am I supposed to help win this war and avenge my parents?" Without looking at him, I turned and ran out of the palace.

* * *

Bumi made to follow his granddaughter, but Aang stepped in front of him. "With all due respect, your Highness, I think she needs some time to sort this out on her own."

"Do you think I should have let her go?" Bumi asked, looking much sadder and less like the crazy mad genius Aang knew.

"I know it's scary letting your children go," Katara spoke up. "But I spent my whole life in my village in the Southern Water Tribe before I met Aang. There's so much more to the world than what you see."

"Kioni is pretty good at earthbending," Sokka added. "At least, she was when she was chasing us down the delivery chutes."

"I think everyone deserves to have a chance to see the world," Aang said finally, looking up at his old friend. "There's so much to learn, and I would personally love to have Kioni be my earthbending teacher."

Bumi considered the three for a second. "Oh, very well, I'll talk to her!" he snorted. "You children and your resilient ways!"

At that moment, one of the guards burst in, looking panicked. "Your highness!" he cried, falling to his feet. "Firebenders; just outside the city! Two of them - an old man and a teenager with a scar!"

"Zuko!" gasped Katara. Aang's face hardened.

"He attacked the guards on the outer wall," the guard continued. "Princess Kioni was there, your majesty, I came as fast as I could-"

The guard stopped speaking as Bumi stood suddenly and ran out of the palace, followed closely by Aang, Sokka and Katara.

* * *

I balanced along the perimeter of the outer wall, doing flips and cartwheels as I walked. One of my favorite things to do was sit on the edge of the wall and gaze out onto the world beyond. I wondered what would happen if I simply jumped down and started running. I wondered how far I would make it before Bumi realized and sent guards after me.

Sighing, I let the rock I was bouncing fall, abandoning my dreams of escape. It would pain my grandfather to see me leave, and I loved Bumi, as crazy as he was.

For the second time this week, a commotion broke me out of my thoughts. I looked down towards the source of the noise. There, at the entrance to the city, stood a tall, young man with jet-black hair tied in ponytail and an older man, both dressed in black and red.

I tensed immediately, recognizing the clothing. Fire Nation.

My suspicions were confirmed as the young man shot an arc of fire at one of the guards, knocking him backwards. "I know the Avatar is here!" he yelled. "Where are you keeping him?"

"That is none of your concern! Leave now!" one of the guards shouted back. Startled, I recognized the voice of one of my friends, Miko. The firebender let out a roar and shot flames at Miko.

Before I knew what I was doing, I summoned a wall of stone to protect Miko. Both the guards and the firebenders looked around, confused, as I quickly slid down the wall on a stone, landing nimbly on my feet.

"Leave now, and we won't hurt you," I said, glaring directly at the young man and unconsciously noting what a stunning amber color his eyes were. _Focus, Kioni!_

After looking surprised for a moment, he let out an cruel, sarcastic laugh. "And I suppose you're going to make me?" he sneered. "Peasant girl!"

"How dare you speak to the earth princess that way!" Miko growled.

"Princess?" the old man spoke up. "Surely, you are Kioni, granddaughter of the great earth King Bumi."

I straightened, surprised. "How do you know my name?" I asked suspiciously.

"Who cares what her name is, Uncle!" the young man raged. He turned and pointed at me again. "You may be a princess, but I am Zuko, crown prince of the Fire Nation, and I demand you open the gates and bring me the Avatar at once!"

I laughed, mimicking Zuko's snicker from earlier. "Or what?" I said. "I've heard of you, 'Prince' Zuko. You're not even a real prince; you were banished! Not even the Fire Nation wants you!"

Zuko's golden eyes blazed with fury and he shot an flaming jet at me, which I easily blocked with a wall of stone. Zuko continued to throw punches of fire and I countered by summoning stone blockades or thrusting stones to cut the flames in half.

"That all you got?" I taunted. "No wonder you were banished!" I could tell his style easily; he used fancy moves and complicated tricks that had little real power behind them.

Letting out a scream of anger, Zuko spun around and leapt into the air, kicking and spewing fire everywhere, knocking down Miko and the other two guards. However, I catapulted myself upwards on a pillar of rock and landed behind Zuko, thrusting my arms outward to create a spire that rammed into the firebender and caused him to go sprawling forward.

Zuko's skills were sharp however; instead of falling he somersaulted into a standing position. Whirling around, he shot two quick blasts at me. I used my earthbending to block them, but Zuko sent a whip of fire towards my feet. I let out a yelp as the fire tripped me up, dropping my rock and tumbling forward. Zuko smirked victoriously, readied his stance and expelled a large blast of fire.

"KIONI!"

I rolled out of the way as a gust of air knocked Zuko's fire blast out of the way. Looking up, I saw Aang flying overhead on his glider. He dropped to the ground in front of me and glared at Zuko, his staff in a defensive position.

"The Avatar and an earth princess," Zuko's golden eyes glittered maliciously. "Today _is_ a lucky day."

"Not for you," Aang replied. He spun his staff in the air, creating a large gust of wind that knocked Zuko backwards several feet. Zuko yelled and leapt to his feet, doing a series of complicated twists and kicks that sprayed fire in random directions.

Aang blew the flames away with his staff. Having got my breath back, I dropped down in a crouch, concentrating hard. When Zuko leapt into the air, I thrust my hands forward, causing the ground below him to become quicksand, a trick I learned from my grandfather. Unknowing, Zuko landed hard and promptly sunk several inches into the quicksand.

Startled, the prince looked around and instinctively did the worst possible thing - he struggled. After several seconds of futile squirming, he found himself chest deep in the quicksand.

"Prince Zuko!" his uncle cried, stepping forward. I stamped my foot once and promptly encased him in rock from his feet to his shoulders.

"The banished Fire Nation prince and the brother of the Fire Lord," I smirked, mimicking Zuko. "Today _is_ a lucky day."

Aang laughed as Zuko growled and blew flames from his mouth, which I easily dodged. "We make a good team!" he said.

I smiled at the young Avatar. "Yeah, I guess we do." I glanced behind me as the gates opened and Bumi, Sokka and Katara came running up to us.

"Are you all right!" Katara cried, rushing towards Aang. She sent a hateful glare towards Zuko.

"I'm fine," Aang smiled. "Kioni and I took down Zuko easily." The prince let out a low growl.

"Ah, King Bumi," Zuko's uncle said in his deep voice. "It has been a while."

"Indeed it has, General Iroh," Bumi cackled. "It seems my granddaughter has captured you."

"She's a fighter, that one," Iroh agreed.

"Well, I guess I have to imprison you now." Bumi mused, looking untroubled. "Guards!" Bumi released the two Fire Nation men from their earth prisons only for them to be chained by the guards and led into the city. Zuko glared at me as he passed, but I met his gaze stonily.

"Kioni," Bumi called and I stiffened. "Kioni, please, I would like to talk to you." Catching Aang's encouraging smile, I sighed and followed my grandfather, away from the others.

"You will be pleased to know I have reconsidered your proposition and have decided you should be able to see the world," Bumi said. I looked up at him, hardly daring to believe my ears.

"However, you will not be traveling with the Avatar and his friends." I furrowed my brow, thoroughly confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I am going to let General Iroh and his nephew go," Bumi started, and I opened my mouth to protest. "Listen to me, Kioni. Iroh is an old friend of mine, we are part of the Order of the White Lotus, an ancient secret society that transcends the four nations." I had heard of the Order of the White Lotus, but what did that have to do with me?

"My destiny is not to imprison these two," Bumi continued. "But I need someone close to me to keep an eye on that Prince Zuko. I am not sure yet how his path will end, and until then, I have a very important job to ask of you."

"What is it, grandfather?" I asked, starting to worry.

"I need you to get yourself captured by Prince Zuko so you can keep an eye on him from within. I need you to inform me if something drastic happens so that I may protect our city if I need to. General Iroh will make sure nothing bad happens to you, but Zuko _cannot_ know anything of this. And neither can the Avatar or his friends."

I stared at my grandfather in shock. Get myself captured by Zuko? Have to deal with _him_ for spirits knows how long? Then I realized what my grandfather was entrusting me with. The safety of our city, the chance to travel the world, and the chance to bring down the Fire Nation from within.

"I'll do it," I replied. Bumi smiled hugely and enveloped me in a hug.

"I have great faith in you, princess Kioni," he said proudly. "I know you will make me, your parents, and Omashu proud."

I smiled back up at him. "So, what's the plan?"

* * *

Late that night, I lay flat on the outer wall, waiting and watching for the two Fire Nation men to arrive. Bumi had filled Iroh in and "accidentally" left grappling hooks and a loose stone in their prison chamber. Aang and his friends had already left, but if the stories I'd heard about Zuko tracking them were true, I'd probably end up seeing them again.

Soon enough, I saw the two running towards the wall. They hooked their grappling hooks over the end and began to hoist themselves up. Iroh was much stronger than he looked, I noted, but then again, so was my grandfather. Once they were over the outer wall, I stood.

"Stop!" I cried, using a stone to lower myself down the wall again. I ran to catch up with them. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Leave us alone," Zuko commanded, glaring at me. "Otherwise we will be forced to take you prisoner."

"I'd sooner die than let you escape!" I replied dramatically, readying my stance to fight.

"Uncle, the chains!" Iroh handed his nephew the chains quietly, watching me. I tried half-heartedly to shoot rocks at Zuko, but he dodged them easily.

"Not so good when you can't see, huh?" he smirked, darting around me. I gritted my teeth. _Don't let him bait you. Remember the mission_. Truth was, I was excellent even in the dark, but I was supposed to get myself captured, so I feigned clumsiness. As soon as I tripped myself, Zuko ran foward and chained my wrists behind my back.

"Now walk!" he commanded, and I obeyed silently. As we marched down the path, I glanced back once more at the huge walls of Omashu, my hometown, the only place I had ever known.

I had a feeling I wouldn't be seeing it for a long time.

* * *

**Okay, that chapter was a bit longer since it was the introductions and all, setting up the story, etc. The other chapters probably won't be that long. **

**Next up: Imprisoned.**


	2. Imprisoned

When I awoke, it took me a minute to realize I was not in my Omashu palace bedroom, but in fact on a Fire Nation ship. I sat up, taking in my surroundings. The bed was rather large for a prisoner, and I suspected Iroh might have had something to do with my higher-than-average living conditions.

The whole room was decorated in red and black, with small lamps lighting the corners. I scanned the room, noting that everything was metal, nothing for me to bend. That one was probably Zuko's doing, I mused, scowling. A large Fire Nation insignia hung on the opposite wall.

I glared at it fiercely for a second, hating the Fire Nation for everything they had done to the world and to me, personally. Then I realized what I fool I was for staring at a symbol as if it was going to solve anything. Deciding to explore the rest of my temporary home, I stood and walked towards the door. Surprisingly, it was unlocked.

I walked silently down the corridors and made my way up to the deck, where I heard voices arguing. As I peered around the corner, I saw Iroh sitting at a Pai Sho table, and Zuko seemed to be talking to himself and shouting at his uncle at the same time. I rolled my eyes. That prince threw as many temper tantrums as... well, as a spoiled Fire Nation prince.

"What am I supposed to do with an Earth kingdom princess?" he raged. I realized they were talking about me and resolved to stay hidden for now.

"I don't know, Zuko, you are the one who captured her," Iroh replied calmly, moving a piece on his table.

"Argh!" Zuko stomped his foot. "What was I supposed to do? She would have given us away!"

"That is true," Iroh agreed, studying his game.

"But now what use is she?" he cried. "I need the Avatar, not some silly earthbender!" I bristled from my hiding post. Silly earthbender? Well, I'll tell you who looks silly, Prince Zuko. At least I don't have some dumb ponytail on my head.

"Wait!" Zuko stopped his pacing. "She was friends with the Avatar! They fought together. I bet she knows where he is! Yes, yes, I can use her to find him and then my honor shall be restored!" I scowled. If Zuko thought he was gonna use me to find Aang, he had another thing coming.

"Uncle, where are you going?" Zuko demanded, glaring at Iroh, who had gotten up from his Pai Sho table.

"To make some tea," Iroh said. "All this Pai Sho is making me quite thirsty."

"Fetch the earth kingdom girl for me," Zuko ordered. "I need to find out the Avatar's whereabouts from her."

"As you wish, Prince Zuko," Iroh replied. I panicked as I realized that he was going to my quarters. Quickly, I dashed down the hall, entered my room, and flung myself down on the bed seconds before there was a knock on the door.

"Er... come in!" I called, my voice sounding high pitched and breathless. Iroh entered, looking around. "Oh, hello General Iroh! I was just, erm... resting."

"Please, call me Iroh," he replied, bowing slightly. I could see a small smirk on his face and I blushed. He must have seen right through me. "Prince Zuko wishes to speak to you up on the deck."

"Very well," I said in my most dignified tone, trying to pretend I hadn't just been caught. I walked up to the deck, where Zuko was standing facing the ocean.

"You wanted to speak to me?" I asked, and he whirled around in fighting stance. Startled, I held my hands up. Seeing it was just me, he relaxed slightly.

"Yes," he walked towards me, a threatening glint in his eye. "Where is the Avatar?"

I shrugged. "Dunno." Zuko's eye twitched slightly.

"I'll ask you one more time, earth girl," he growled. "I know you're friends with him, I know you know. _Where is he__?"_

"First of all, I have a name," I said. "It's Kioni. K-I-O-N-I. Kioni. Not 'that girl.' Not 'earth princess.' Kioni. Second, I honestly have no idea where Aang and his friends are."

"She doesn't know, Zuko," Iroh echoed, coming up behind me with a pot of tea and a few cups. "How would she? The Avatar left Omashu before she was captured. Would you care for some tea, Princess Kioni?"

"Please, call me Kioni," I smiled at Iroh. "And I would love some." I felt some satisfaction as Zuko let out a frustrated yell and punched fire out towards the sea.

"Continue towards the North Pole!" he shouted at his helmsmen. "We know the Avatar is headed there, keep our course for now!"

"We are running low on supplies, Prince Zuko!" his captain shouted back. "We wil need to stop at the nearest village to stock up."

Zuko let out another shout of anger. "Why does nothing go my way? Fine, stop at the nearest village. But make it quick, I don't want to waste any time."

"Would you care for a cup of calming tea, Prince Zuko?" Iroh offered, pouring two cups for me and himself.

"I don't need calming tea!" Zuko yelled, storming off deck and slamming the door behind him. I stifled a laugh.

"My nephew is very troubled, do not mock him," Iroh reprimanded me, but the corners of his mouth tugged upwards as he handed me a cup.

"My apologies," I replied, taking the cup and sipping it. My eyes widened; the tea was exquisite, rich and flavorful; it spread warmth throughout my entire being. "This tea is absolutely incredible!"

"Thank you, Kioni," Iroh smiled at me. "The key is patience and love, as it is with many delicate things in life."

He glanced back and the door through which Zuko had stomped through. I figured it must take a lot of patience and love to deal with Zuko. He was lucky to have his uncle, even if he didn't appreciate it.

* * *

A few hours later, the captain docked us. "Prince Zuko, there is a coal mining village about half a mile from there. We will go purchase supplies."

"Ooh, can I come?" I asked, hopping up from my place on the deck, where I was lying, bored. I had never seen another Earth Kingdom village before.

"Absolutely not," Zuko scoffed. "I'm not having you run off and escape. You're staying here." I was about to retort that I wasn't planning on escaping, but I realized I couldn't do that without revealing my true intentions, so I contented myself with scowling at the prince.

"Don't worry, Kioni," Iroh said. "I am not going either. How about I teach you to play Pai Sho?" I glared at Zuko one last time before sighing resignedly.

"Why not?" I sat down next to Iroh as Zuko and his men mounted their komodo rhinos and headed off towards the village. As Iroh began to explain the surprisingly complex rules of Pai Sho, I have to say I zoned out a little. I thought about the village, one of thousands that was probably overrun with Fire Nation soldiers. How many families had been separated, how many had died. Like my parents.

"Princess Kioni?" Iroh asked gently.

"Oh, sorry," I snapped back to reality. "I was just... thinking."

"You seem troubled." Iroh noted. I hesitated. As nice as Iroh had been to me since I'd been here, he was still part of the Fire Nation, and part of the royal family.

"I was just thinking about my parents," I replied finally. "They were killed in the war." Iroh was silent for several moments.

"As was my son," he said. "It burdens you with a terrible pain, doesn't it?" I nodded sadly, tears pricking in the corner of my eyes. As I turned away, I could feel him watching me.

The thundering of komodo rhinos caught my attention again, and I stood to see Zuko and his men returning, their komodo rhinos hurtling towards the ship at breakneck speed.

"Start the engines!" Zuko hollered, leaping off his komodo rhino as they lowered the deck. "The Avatar has been here! They've taken the water tribe girl to an earthbending prison on a shipyard a few miles from here. The Avatar will surely rescue her there, and we must be there when it happens!"

An earthbending prison? I had never heard of such a horrible thing. How could they imprison innocent people simply for practicing their craft? I clenched my fists, feeling another surge of hatred towards the Fire Nation. As we sped towards the shipyard, I looked at Zuko, who was standing at the helm staring over the ocean.

"You should probably go below deck, Princess," Iroh suggested. "It _is_ an earthbender prison, and it would be unfortunate if you were taken prisoner... again." His mouth quirked slightly.

"I'll go below when we arrive," I replied. "I want to see this prison that can famously detain earthbenders." In my opinion, earthbenders were the most resilient of all the benders. We were strong, and proud, and stood our ground. It must be some worthy prison to hold an army of earthbenders.

As we got into view, I saw my nightmare. A huge shipyard, made entirely of metal, with smokestacks spewing black sludge into the air. The whole place had an eerie reddish glow, and I shuddered. I understood now. Metal. An earthbender's worst fear. I saw Zuko watching me and turned towards him.

"I think I'll head below," I told him, trying not to let my fear show through my voice. "It would be such a shame if I was captured by another Fire Nation soldier. You wouldn't have the glory of turning me in yourself."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Zuko replied, looking through his telescope. He pointed at a small fleet of ships that was getting away. "They've already escaped."

"Should we follow them, Prince Zuko?" his captain called from above.

"We'll never catch up in time. Dock at the shipyard, see if anyone remains who knows of their whereabouts!" he commanded. The ship docked, and Zuko leapt onto the port, looking around for clues. I hesitated for a moment, and then followed. Zuko turned to face me and opened his mouth, probably to command me to return to the ship, but I gave him a look. We were on a floating hunk of metal, where was I supposed to go? He must have realized this, because he closed his mouth and turned away from me.

I walked around, seeing pieces of coal literring the floor. I picked one up and spun it around in my hands, earthbending for the first time in days. I realized the prisoners must have used the coal to overpower the Fire Nation soldiers. I felt a surge of pride towards my people. Earthbenders-1, firebenders-0.

As I absentmindedly played with the chunk of coal, a flash of blue caught my eye. Turning towards it, I saw a ribbon with a blue pendant on it. Inscribed in the pendant was clearly a water tribe symbol. The necklace looked strangely familiar, I picked it up and turned it over in my hand, wondering where it came from.

"What is that?" Zuko demanded, catching sight of the necklace. "Doesn't that belong to the water tribe girl?" I realized he was right, the necklace was Katara's! I remembered her saying something about it being her mother's. I caught sight of Zuko's expression and clutched the necklace close to me.

"Give it to me."

"No," I replied, backing away. "This belonged to Katara's mother! It's all she has left of her!"

"I'll return it to her," Zuko replied, a sinister smile forming on his face. "After I use it to track and capture the Avatar." I backed away further. No way Zuko was going to use this priceless object to track Aang.

"You are my prisoner and you will _give me the necklace_!" Zuko roared, losing his patience. His men formed a circle around me, ready in their fighting stance. I was hopelessly outnumbered, and all I had to fight with were a few coal pebbles. I sent Zuko my best death glare as I threw the necklace at his feet and stalked off back onto the ship.

"Men, let's go! After those ships!" Zuko commanded, following after me with the necklace in his hands. As we began to move again, I turned to Iroh.

"Is this how all these trips go?" I grumbled. "You follow the Avatar, you miss him by a few hours, and you keep going?"

"Mostly," Iroh replied, hints of humor in his voice. "Sometimes we catch up to him and Zuko gets his butt kicked." I laughed slightly as Zuko yelled "I heard that!" Turning back to the ocean, I sighed.

What had I gotten myself into?

* * *

**Thanks for all the feedback! You guys are awesome. :)**

**Next up: The Winter Solstice.**


	3. The Winter Solstice

"Where's Iroh?" I questioned as Zuko returned to the ship, looking disgruntled. We had docked nearby to refuel and Iroh had wandered off, claiming there were some legendary hot springs nearby. I longed to join him, but of course, anything that could possibly give me an opportunity of escape was strictly forbidden. Stupid Zuko and his stupid rules.

"Still at those blasted hot springs," he grumbled, boarding the ship. "If he's not here in thirty minutes, I'm leaving without him!" I scoffed. No matter how much Zuko griped about his uncle, he would never actually leave without him.

"I can't believe you wouldn't let me go," I glared at him. "I haven't been to a hot spring _ever_."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" he asked me. "And have you running away the first chance you got?"

"I would've been with Iroh!" I retorted. "Why do you think I'm going to escape? What makes you think I wa-_can_?" I broke off, almost having said 'want to.'

Zuko stared at me for a second. "Uncle seems to have taken a liking to you. You would've talked your way into escaping or something."

"You don't give your uncle enough credit," I crossed my arms over my chest. _And perhaps you give me too much,_ I added silently. "He _was_ a great general once, you know. He almost defeated Ba Sing Se."

"Almost doesn't win wars," Zuko replied mysteriously. "Almost doesn't achieve anything."

"Ba Sing Se is one of the greatest cities in the Earth Kingdom," I said defensively. "The fact that he was able to get as far as he did is a remarkable feat, something that is unlikely to happen again."

"Ba Sing Se will fall eventually," Zuko scoffed. "Just like your precious hometown." Anger coursed through my veins. How dare he insult Omashu!

"The Fire Nation will _never_ win this war," I gritted my teeth. "Not without the Avatar. And seeing as your attempts to capture him are futile, I hardly think he's going away anytime soon."

Zuko whirled around to face me, his eyes blazing with anger. We stood facing one another in silence with our fists clenched, the tension crackling through the air. It almost seemed as if he was about to shoot fire at me. If he was, I was prepared. The rocks on the cliffside were close enough that I could summon them if I needed to.

"Er... Prince Zuko?" We both turned to see a soldier standing there, looking awkward. "The captain would like to speak to you about strategy." Zuko glared at me one last time before walking off to the captain's quarters. I let out a scream of frustration and stomped off to my room.

* * *

Several hours later (after I had screamed into my pillow for a bit and then taken a nap), I emerged on deck again. Surprised, I noticed that Iroh still was not on board. I searched the ship for him, but he wasn't anywhere. I knocked twice on the captain's door, and Zuko's voice called "Come in!"

"Oh, it's you." he looked away as I entered. "What do you want?"

"Iroh's still missing," I said, ignoring his rudeness. "Do you think he got captured or something?"

"He's not here yet?" Zuko cried, jumping to his feet. "Men! Two of you and I are going to go look for Uncle Iroh!"

"Wait, I'm coming too!" I followed him, running up to the deck. Zuko turned to scowl at me again.

"How many times do I have to-" he began.

"Iroh is my friend too!" I insisted. Zuko stared at me for a second before letting out a cruel laugh.

"You are a _prisoner_," he said scathingly. "Stay on the ship like you are told." With that, he and two other soldiers leapt onto a komodo rhino and rode off.

I stood on the deck staring after them, seething with anger. Who was Zuko to tell me what to do? I had had it up to_ here_ with that insolent, whiny Fire Nation jerk! Acting like he had actually captured me... I could leave this pathetic ship anytime I wanted to!

Making up my mind, I turned to the lone Fire Nation soldier who was watching me with something resembling sympathy on his face. "I'm going down to my room." He nodded and I turned to go down, but instead of going down to my room, I went around the side of the ship.

Glancing to make sure nobody was watching, I swung my body over the side of the ship and landed nimbly on the ground. Brushing myself off, I turned and ran towards the trees.

Being an earthbender, I was able to not only control rocks, but trees and plants as well. Leaping onto the nearest branch, I could easily dash across the treetops by bending the plants to work to my advantage. Before long, I could see Zuko and his two men at the hot spring. In the middle of the spring, the boulders had slid upwards.

"Those rocks didn't move naturally," I could hear Zuko say. "My uncle has been captured by earthbenders. You two head back to the ship, I must do this alone."

The soldiers looked at each other for a moment, then nodded and headed back towards the ship. Zuko mounted his komodo rhino and started off, following the tracks of the ostrich horses. I continued to follow him, leaping among the treetops, concealed by the bushes. I felt light, alive, and free, for the first time in weeks.

After about thirty minutes, Zuko dismounted and picked up what looked like an old sandal on the road. _Oh, gross, please do not smell it. _

He sniffed it once then held it away from him, making a disgusted face. "Yep, definitely Uncle Iroh." I rolled my eyes from my perch.

We continued to travel until the sun rose, at which point, even I was rather tired. Thankfully, the trees helped me out and I was able to find some lightningfruit, named for the energy it gives you. After sunrise, a loud roar caused Zuko to stop in his tracks. I looked towards the sky and saw Appa.

Zuko saw him as well. "The Avatar." he whispered, staring at the sky bison, and then back to the trail. _Are you kidding me?_ I thought. He was really going to go after the Avatar while his uncle was in danger? I knew he was a jerk, but I didn't think this amount of jerkitude was possible. Finally, he groaned quietly and directed his komodo rhino back towards the footsteps.

_Thank goodness_. At least he had the tiniest, smallest, minuscule amount of good in him. As we continued on, we reached the end of the forest. Panicking slightly, all I could see were dusty cliffs. Thankfully, if I stayed a good deal behind Zuko, I could mostly blend in with the rocks and hide behind the sparse shrubbery. Once or twice he looked back as if he were suspicious, but he must have decided it was nothing, because he continued on.

Finally, we reached a clearing where four ostrich horses stood. Zuko slid off his komodo rhino and ran to the edge of the lowered clearing in the ground. I ran around to the other side, slid down a ways and hid behind a large boulder. Peering around the edge, I saw Iroh chained to a rock with five earthbenders standing around him.

"These dangerous hands must be crushed!" the earthbender was saying. He summoned a rock and was about to crush Iroh's hands with it, when Zuko appeared out of nowhere, kicking the rock out of the way and smashing Iroh's chains with his foot.

"Excellent form, Prince Zuko," Iroh congratulated, standing up.

"You taught me well," Zuko replied, a small smile on his face.

"Surrender yourselves!" the earthbender captain commanded. "It's five against two, you're clearly outnmbered."

"That is true," Iroh replied, looking menacing even though he was wearing nothing but a loincloth. "But you are clearly outmatched." With that, they began to fight. The two worked in synchronisation, Iroh using his chains to his advantage and Zuko tripping the earthbenders just as he had tripped me that first night.

They took down the earthbenders until only their leader remained. He caught Iroh off guard by pinning his chains to the wall with a rock, and then summoned a wall of stone to crash down on Zuko.

_Not on my watch_, I thought before summoning my strength and thrusting the boulder I was hiding behind in front of me. The rock flew through the air and slammed into the stone wall, causing it to shatter and fall onto the earthbender. Zuko whirled around, shock crossing his face when he saw me, which quickly morphed into anger.

"What are you doing here!" he yelled at me, clenching his fists. I stared at him incredulously.

"Uh, I don't know, maybe saving your life?" I shot back.

"Thank you, Kioni," Iroh said graciously as I removed the rock pinning him to the wall. "Had you not been there, we would have both been in serious trouble." Zuko looked back and forth between me and Iroh before finally throwing his hands up in the air in frustration.

"Let's just get back to the ship!" he cried. "And please, Uncle, put on some clothes!" He mounted the komodo rhino and stared at the both of us. For a second, I was afraid I would have to walk all the way back. "Well, what are you waiting for? Both of you, get on!"

Smiling slightly, Iroh mounted behind me, forcing me to sit directly behind Zuko. "If the road gets bumpy, you can hold onto him," Iroh whispered to me, his eyes sparkling with mischief. I blushed furiously at his implication, flustered.

"Iroh!" I hissed back angrily.

"Just a suggestion," he smirked, holding his hands up in surrender. "Safety is very important." I glared at him before turning to face front again.

We rode for a while, but didn't head directly back to the ship. Instead, Zuko stopped by a village. "Where are we going?" I questioned.

"The Avatar was here," Zuko declared. "Clearly he's heading somewhere, and these people will know where." I watched angrily as Zuko bullied an innocent citizen into telling him where Aang was. I definitely would have done something had it not been for Iroh's hand on my shoulder.

"He's heading to Avatar Roku's island," Zuko cried, mounting the komodo rhino again and dashing off. "We've got to hurry. Faster!" He urged the animal to move faster, causing us to bounce up and down in the saddle. I almost grabbed onto Zuko's shoulders to steady myself, but remembered Iroh's comment and gripped the sides of the saddle instead.

"But, Prince Zuko, Avatar Roku's island is in Fire Nation territory," Iroh warned. Zuko ignored him, continuing to ride swiftly and silently until we reached the ship.

"Everyone in your positions now!" Zuko ordered. "We're heading to Avatar Roku's island!"

"You are forbidden to enter Fire Nation territory, Prince Zuko!" Iroh insisted. "Have you lost your mind?" The soldiers hesitated at hearing Iroh's words.

"Who commands this ship?" Zuko roared at them, ignoring his uncle. "Do as I say! And you! Go back to your quarters!" he shouted at me, as I was just standing there. Rolling my eyes obviously at him, I turned and walked back to my room.

What a _brat_.

* * *

I was awoken by the most god-awful stench I had ever smelled in my fifteen years of living. Covering my nose and nearly gagging, I ran up to the deck for some fresh air, but the smell was even worse. Emerging to the deck, I saw the source of the smell - a giant catapult was prepared and loaded with some kind of foul-smelling cannonball.

"Ugh, really, Prince Zuko, couldn't you shoot them down with something more fragrant?" Iroh was saying, waving the stench away. I looked up to see what Zuko was aiming at. To my horror, it was Appa.

"What are you doing?" I shouted, rushing forward as Zuko set the ball on fire.

"Fire!" he shouted, launching the flaming rock into the air. I ran forward and concentrated with all my might. At the last second, I was able to get a feel for the rock even when it was hurtling above the air and I pushed it off course.

"What do you think you're doing!" Zuko screamed at me.

"What are _you_ doing?" I yelled back again. "You're going to seriously hurt them!" _  
_

"That's the idea!" he raged. "Guards, hold her down!" Two of his men grabbed me and I struggled helplessly as he launched another fireball. I held my breath (partly because of the odor) and then cheered when Appa swerved to avoid the fireball. Zuko turned to glare at me, opening his mouth, but Iroh interrupted.

"Prince Zuko, I think you have bigger problems," he pointed towards a large line of Fire Nation ships. My eyes widened.

"A blockade," Zuko breathed, sounding nervous.

"Technically, you are still in Earth Kingdom waters," Iroh told him. "Turn back now, and they cannot arrest you." Zuko considered for a moment, his eyes on the sky.

"He's not turning around!" he cried when Appa continued to speed towards the blockade. I looked up at my friends. What in the name of spirits was Aang thinking? Had he gone as crazy as Bumi?

"Please, Prince Zuko, if the Fire Nation captures you, there is nothing I can do," Iroh begged him. "Do not follow the Avatar."

"I'm sorry, Uncle," Zuko said before yelling, "Run the blockade!" My jaw dropped. Had _everyone_ gone as crazy as Bumi?

Our ship continued full steam ahead, and I was just thinking about how my life could not get any crazier, when the Fire Nation blockade starting shooting fireballs at us. Well, I assumed they were shooting them at Appa, but they clearly didn't care if we got hit.

"This is insane!" I screamed, breaking free from the guard's grip as a wave splashed over the top of the ship. "Zuko, turn back!"

"Kioni, can you divert those fireballs?" Iroh asked me urgently.

"I'll try!" I shouted back. I swallowed my fear and concentrated on shoving the flaming rocks out of the way of the ship, but there were too many of them. One hit the ship and jerked it backward, sending us all flying towards the rear of the ship. I crashed into Zuko, sending us both toppling into the fireball launcher. I quickly leapt off of him, steadying myself on the giant weapon.

"Prince Zuko, the engines are damaged!" one of the soliders called. "We need to stop and make repairs!"

"Do not stop this ship." Zuko ordered.

"Have you completely lost your mind?" I screamed at him. "We're all going to die if you don't stop!"

"So be it," Zuko replied, completely calm. I gaped at him for a second before rushing down to the engine rooms. Maybe there was something I could do to help.

When I reached the rooms, the air was full of soot. I entered, coughing loudly. "Princess Kioni, you shouldn't be here!" one of the soldiers told me. "It's too dangerous!"

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked him. He regarded me for a second before pointing at a large pile of coal several feet up.

"We need to get that coal into the engines to get them working again, but the damaged engines are flaming so we cannot reach them."

"No problem," I said, determined. Quickly, I rolled the coal into a ball and shot it into the two working engines. The ship sputtered slightly before continuing to move.

"Thank you, princess," the soldier bowed to me, and I smiled.

When I got back on deck, Zuko and Iroh were staring behind the ship, their faces a mixture of confusion and suspicion. I looked behind me to see the blockade getting smaller.

"They let us pass?" I asked incredulously.

"I don't understand! What's he up to, Uncle? Why didn't Commander Zhao arrest me?" Zuko demanded, staring straight ahead.

"Because he wants to follow you," Iroh replied wisely. "He knows you'll lead him to the prize you both want - the Avatar."

"If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke, that's exactly what I'll let him do," Zuko said. "Soldiers! Prepare the smaller ship!" I watched as a ramp was lowered into the ocean and a smaller ship slid into the sea, with Zuko at it's wheel.

"Uncle, keep heading north. Zhao will follow the smoke trail while I use it as a cover," he said. I actually thought Zuko's plan was pretty smart, but Iroh didn't seem convinced. He didn't say anything as his nephew headed east.

"You don't think it will work?" I asked as Iroh as we watched the ship disappear into the smoke.

"I do not have a positive feeling about this outcome, no," he replied gravely. "But I am surprised you did not insist on going with him." The question confused me slightly.

"I have no desire to be stuck alone on a tiny ship with Zuko, thank you," I replied snarkily. "You are much better company."

"You flatter me," Iroh smiled slightly. "But I was referring to the fact that you would get to see your friends again." I stopped, realizing what he said was true. Had I gone with Zuko, I would have been reunited with Aang, Katara, and Sokka.

"I have... unfinished business here," I said finally, unsure if Iroh was aware of my true intentions. If he was, he would know what I was talking about. If not, my answer was sufficient enough. He nodded once, seemingly satisfied with my answer.

We continued sailing.

* * *

We docked at a small, secluded natural port about ten miles from Avatar Roku's island. Even from there, I could see the smoke rising from the island.

"Do you think he's all right?" I asked, wondering if Zuko had even made it to the island.

"The Avatar, or my nephew?" Iroh questioned. I froze.

"Uhm, the Avatar, of course," I said quickly, not looking at Iroh. He paused for a second before answering.

"I'm sure he managed to contact Avatar Roku," he said. "I see no other possible reason for an explosion of that power. If my nephew returns, I doubt he will have the Avatar with me. In addition, I am certain Zhao has followed him, as there is no sign of him here."

I leaned forward on the deck, watching the smoke rise from the volcano.

The sudden clang of feet had me whirling around to see Prince Zuko standing on the deck, covered in soot but looking relatively unharmed. A strange sense of relief washed over me.

"He was there!" Zuko raged, throwing off his armor. "I had the Avatar, I had him, before that awful Zhao showed up and ruined _everything_!"

"There, there, Prince Zuko, I'm sure we will encounter the Avatar again," Iroh reassured him.

"You can bet your Pai Sho game we will, Uncle," Zuko replied, his mouth set in a determined line. He pointed upwards at Appa, who was flying north. "Follow that bison! There is no time to lose!"

As Zuko turned to head below deck, he turned to look towards me. His amber eyes held my green ones for a second before he turned and went below. I sighed, leaning back against the railing and looking up at the reddish orange sky.

Clearly nothing had changed.

* * *

**Thanks for all your reviews, guys! I really appreciate any feedback you have. :)**

**Next up: The Waterbending Scroll.**


	4. The Waterbending Scroll

I was playing Pai Sho with Iroh in the steering room when it happened. I had actually gotten quite good at Pai Sho. Although I could definitely not beat Iroh (but, really, who could?), I had beaten almost every other crew member. Except Zuko, who seemed to have an anathema for the game and refused to play.

I glanced out the window as Iroh contemplated his next move, watching Zuko spar with a crew member. He shot fire blast after blast, his strong arms twisting and jabbing as he almost danced around his opponent. Then, Iroh let out a panicked gasp, and I tore my eyes away.

"What? What's wrong? Did you see another Fire Nation ship?" I asked quickly, looking around.

"No, much worse!" Iroh cried. "I am missing my white lotus tile!"

A beat of silence, and then I slumped forward slightly, both relieved and a little annoyed.

"The white lotus tile is incredibly important," Iroh said somewhat defensively.

"Oh, trust me, I know very well the importance of the white lotus," I assured him.

"Captain, change our course for the nearest town! I must find another white lotus tile as soon as possible!" Iroh ordered. The captain nodded, looking somewhat perplexed, and turned a hard right. I let out a cry as I slid against the window, and I could see through it that Zuko had fallen onto the deck as well.

"Uh oh, Prince Zuko's not happy," I warned Iroh. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Zuko came storming into the room.

"What's the meaning of this mutiny?" he cried, striding up to the captain. "No one told you to change course!"

"Actually, someone did," Iroh said calmly. "I assure you, it is a matter of utmost importance, Prince Zuko."

"Is it something to do with the Avatar?" Zuko asked hopefully. I looked down to hide my smirk. This would be good.

"It is even more urgent," Iroh continued gravely. "It seems I have lost my lotus tile."

"Lotus tile?" Zuko questioned.

"For my Pai Sho game," Iroh explained. "Most people think the lotus tile insignificant, but it is essential for the unusual strategy that I employ."

"You've changed our course for a stupid lotus tile?" Zuko repeated, looking incredulous.

"See, you, like most people, underestimate its value," Iroh said. "Just give me ten minutes to check the merchants at this port of call. Hopefully, they'll have the lotus tile in stock and I can get on with my life."

"Yeah, I think I need a few things too," I added, smirking hugely. "I could really do with a few new hair ribbons." Zuko stared at us both for a second and breathed deeply, before expelling fire though his mouth and storming off.

"I'm lucky to have such an understanding nephew," Iroh grinned and I giggled. "Although you really should stop baiting him, Princess Kioni. He gets riled up enough already."

"There's nothing else to do on this ship," I defended myself. "Plus, it's fun messing with him."

"Just make sure one day you don't go too far," Iroh sighed. "My nephew has a lot of loose nerves; it would not be hard to strike a delicate one."

* * *

"You have to let me go!" I cried indignantly as Zuko tried to stop me from leaving the ship. "It's been _weeks_ since I've set foot off this ship; I'm going insane!"

"Oh, Zuko, let her come," Iroh said. "We'll both be there, and I'll keep an eye on her." Zuko looked between the two of us and sighed, resigned.

"Fine," he glared at me. "But one move out of line and you won't come out of your room for a month!"

"Please, you'd let me out after a week," I scoffed, passing by him. "You'd miss me too much." Zuko opened his mouth and sputtered as Iroh chuckled behind him. I walked down the ramp and towards the marketplace.

"She is far more trouble than she's worth," Zuko muttered behind me.

Ignoring Zuko, I ran towards the marketplace, eager to see everything again. I looked around at all the shops and felt a giddy smile form on my face. It had been so long since I was around actual people again, save for Prince Party Pooper and Iroh. I missed the marketplace at Omashu so much it hurt. I missed the wonderful shopkeepers, I missed the food and trinkets, I missed the citizens mingling together under the warm air.

I missed _home_.

As I started to feel dejected, a warm hand landed on my shoulder. I looked up to see Iroh smiling at me.

"Come, young princess, let's see what we can find," he said.

Shopping with Iroh turned out to be the most fun I'd had in a while. We went around to all the different stalls, checking out the variety of goods they had to offer. Anytime I expressed even the smallest degree of interest in an item, Iroh bought it before I even looked twice. We strolled merrily through the marketplace as Zuko plodded behind us, looking bored.

I stopped suddenly as we approached a stand filled with musical instruments. Beautiful tsungi horns, yueqins and flutes lined the walls of the shop. I was mesmerized by the glittering of the instruments in the fading sunlight.

"Do you play?" Iroh asked me.

"I used to play the flute," I told him. "I took many lessons as a child in Omashu, but I haven't played for a while."

"One tsungi horn, one flute, and one pipa please," Iroh asked, paying the shopkeeper. "I do love the tsungi horn, and I know for a fact Zuko took pipa lessons as a child. Perhaps we can convince him to join Music Night."

I laughed at the idea of Zuko playing any kind of musical instrument. The rest of the day was spent in a similar fashion, buying whatever we felt like at a moment's whim. I felt slightly bad for the poor soldiers who had to carry all our purchases. It wasn't until we met Zuko back at the docks at sunset when I realized we had never found Iroh's lotus tile.

"I've checked all the shops on this pier," Iroh told his nephew. "Not a lotus in the entire marketplace!"

"It's good to know that this trip was a complete waste of time for _everyone_!" Zuko shot back angrily.

"Quite the contrary," Iroh replied. "I always say, the only thing better than finding something you're looking for, is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!" Zuko's eyes widened as the men stumbled past us, burdened with the objects we had bought.

"You bought a tsungi horn, a flute, and a pipa?" Zuko questioned.

"For Music Night on the ship!" Iroh said. "Kioni tells me she is quite a talented flute player, and perhaps you could show us your skill on the pipa." Zuko stared incredulously at his uncle.

"Forget it," he huffed finally. "Let's just go."

"Ooh, look at that place!" I pointed to an interesting looking ship just on the harbor. "I bet they'd have some cool stuff!"

"Kioni..." Zuko began warningly, but Iroh interrupted him.

"Oh, that looks promising!" Iroh cried happily, walking towards the ship. I smirked at Zuko over my shoulder and his nostrils flared. We entered the ship, which had a slightly eerie feel to it. Iroh headed straight for a creepy looking statue with glowing red gems for eyes.

"Oh, that is handsome!" he praised. "Wouldn't it look magnificent in the galley?"

"Er..." I faltered, trying to come up with a way to tell him how unbelievably creepy it was without sounding rude. Thankfully, our attention was diverted by the merchant speaking in the corner.

"We lost the water tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with," the man spoke urgently. Zuko whirled around and started to walk towards him.

"This monk, did he have an arrow tattoo on his head?" he asked. I sighed deeply. There went our peaceful shopping trip.

"You know of him?" the owner said. Wide brimmed hat, braided beard, sparrowkeet on his shoulder... yeah, this guy was definitely a pirate. I tentatively put down the necklace I was holding. This whole ship was probably full of stolen goods. "The water tribe girl he was traveling with stole one of our most priceless objects."

"I'm looking for him as well," Zuko said, standing tall. "I'll make you a deal. I'll help you find him, you get back whatever he took, and I get him." The pirate regarded Zuko for a minute, then glanced back to where Iroh and I were standing.

"You've got yourself a deal," he held out his hand, and Zuko shook it firmly.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, I was arguing with Zuko about leaving the ship yet again.

"I want to see my friends!" I insisted.

"Why do you even keep asking?" he cried, frustrated. "There is no way I am letting you escape!" I opened my mouth and closed it again. How was I supposed to say I wouldn't escape without revealing myself?

"Stay here," he said, glaring at me, as he boarded the smaller submarine. When he wasn't looking, I quietly slipped into the submarine as well, hiding at the back of the ship. Zuko leapt onto the captains ship, and the two headed down the river. I could faintly hear them discussing Aang's location, but I was more worried about what I would do when I finally saw Aang.

I realized that I couldn't very well reveal myself without them trying to rescue me. I probably should have stayed on the ship in hindsight, but I really wanted to see them again, if just to make sure they were okay. They were honestly my first real friends.

After several hours, I had almost dozed off when I heard yelling in the distance. Zuko and Pirate Man seemed to have notice it as well, because they steered the ships in that general direction and docked on the banks. They jumped off board and ran towards the noise, with me following them as best as I could, hiding out in the trees.

As I peered through the bushes, I let out a quiet gasp as I saw Katara being held by one of the giant pirates. "Let go of me!" she cried, using her waterbending to smack the pirate. She ran out of his grip, but ran straight into Zuko, who grabbed her wrists.

"I'll save you from the pirates," he said menacingly. Katara gasped as he quickly led her to the nearest tree and tied her to it. I stood silently, waiting in the shadows for the right moment. I couldn't attack now, not with half a dozen Fire Nation soldiers and pirates around.

"Tell me where he is, and I won't hurt you or your brother," Zuko said. I was shocked at how... evil he seemed. I knew he was hotheaded and angry, but I had never actually seen him hunting the Avatar like this.

"Go jump in the river!" Katara cried, strugging against her bonds. I smiled slightly. _Atta girl_. Zuko looked down for a second, perplexed, but when he looked up, his smile seemed even more sinister.

"Try to understand," he began, circling her. "I need to capture him to restore something I've lost: my honor. Perhaps, in exchange, I can restore something you've lost." I barely concealed a shout of anger as Zuko held Katara's necklace up to her. That monster!

"My mother's necklace!" Katara gasped. "How did you get that?"

"I didn't _steal_ it, if that's what you're wondering," Zuko sneered. "Tell me where he is."

"No!"

"Enough of this necklace garbage," Pirate Man said. "You promised the scroll!" Zuko pulled the scroll out from under his robe, and summoned a small fire in his hand, holding the scroll above it.

"I wonder how much money this is worth," he mused as the pirates gasped. I had to give it to him, he certainly was devious. "A lot, apparently. Now, you help me find what I want, you get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here!"

"Fine," the pirate grumbled after glaring at Zuko for a moment. He and his men headed off through in my direction. I gasped quietly and shot myself up into the treetops so that they wouldn't see me.

"Why don't you go with them?" Katara suggested. "I'm sure a bunch of dumb pirates couldn't do the job well enough."

"Nice try," Zuko smirked at her. "But I'm not stupid. I've dealt with sassy prisoners before; I'm not going anywhere." He sat down with his back facing Katara, watching the spot where the pirates disappeared.

Silently, I leapt to the tree where Katara was tied up and lowered myself so that I could talk to her. "Katara," I whispered, and she jerked upright, looking around wildly. "Shh, shh, don't say anything!" I hissed frantically. "Please, be quiet, it's me, Kioni." Her mouth dropped open in shock. "I know this is somewhat surprising, but please, be calm. I'll try to get you out of here when Zuko's distracted." She nodded once to show she understood.

I had been hoping Aang and Sokka escaped before the pirates found them, but to my dismay they came back right after sunrise with both of them tied up.

"Nice work," Zuko said, walking over to hand them the scroll. Sokka struggled with his bonds, but Aang seemed oddly calm, taking in the scene with wide eyes. His eyes briefly flickered up to me, and widened further, but I held a finger to my lips and he gave the tiniest of nods.

"Aang, this is all my fault," Katara said sadly.

"No Katara, it isn't," he reassured her.

"Yeah, it kind of is," Iroh remarked. I hid a smile. Clearly, I was rubbing off on the retired general.

"Give me the boy," Zuko demanded.

"You give us the scroll," the pirate countered. Sokka looked up incredulously.

"You're really going to hand over the _Avatar_ for a stupid piece of parchment?" he asked.

"Don't listen to him!" Zuko cried. "He's trying to turn us against each other." But the damage was done.

"Your friend is the Avatar?" the pirate questioned, suddenly looking a lot more interested in Aang. _Nice work, Sokka_. I thought. This was either really good, or really bad.

"Sure is," Sokka grinned cheekily, clearly deciding to go with it. "And I bet he'll fetch a lot more on the black market than some fancy scroll."

"Shut your mouth, you water tribe peasant!" Zuko roared.

"Yeah, Sokka, you really should shut your mouth," Aang said nervously, clearly not liking the idea of being captured by pirates any more than being captured by Zuko. Personally, I'd choose the former.

"I'm just saying, it's bad business sense," Sokka continued, paying no mind to Aang or Zuko. "Just imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar. You guys would be set for life."

"Keep the scroll," the head pirate grinned, clearly agreeing with what Sokka was saying. "We can buy a hundred with the reward we'll get for the kid." They began to walk away.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me." Zuko hissed as two of his men and him shot fire at the pirates. They leapt out of the way, pulling out miniature bombs that let out clouds of smoke everywhere. As the pirates and the firebenders began to fight, I slipped down the tree and quickly untied Katara.

"Thanks, Kioni," she smiled at me. "But we've got to get out of here! How did you even get here?"

"Don't worry about that!" I said quickly. "Let's just find Aang and Sokka and go!" We ran around the smoke clouds and found Aang and Sokka kneeling at the edge of the cloud, coughing.

"Come on, slowpokes, let's go!" Katara cried, pulling them up. Aang and Sokka turned to her in relief, then their faces changed to shock as they saw me.

"Kioni! What are you doing here?" Sokka asked.

"I'll explain later, but right now, let's _go!_" I insisted, tugging him along.

"The boat, we can escape on their boat!" Katara shouted. We all ran towards it and pushed as hard as we could, but the ship wouldn't budge.

"It's no use," Sokka said. "It would take a team of rhinos to move this ship."

"A team of rhinos... or an earthbender!" I grinned. "You guys, get on the ship, I'll bend the sand to push us into the water."

"But what about you?" Aang asked as Sokka and Katara clambered aboard.

"Don't worry, I'll hop on at the last second!" I assured him. "Come on!" Aang cast me one last worried look before he jumped onto the boat.

"They're getting away!" I froze to see Zuko and the pirate leader running towards me. "Kioni, don't you dare!" Zuko shouted at me, but I just fixed him with a steely glare and used all my might to shove the boat into the water.

"Kioni!" Aang cried as they were carried away.

"Don't worry about me, you guys go ahead!" I shouted after them, feeling relieved as they turned the corner. "I'll be fine, I'll find you guys l-oof!" I was cut off as Zuko slammed into me, sending me hurtling towards the ground. I landed hard as he tumbled on top of me, straddling me and pinning my wrists above my head.

"Oh, they should definitely worry about you," Zuko hissed, his eyes blazing with golden fire that I had never seen before. It frightened me a little, but I let no fear show as I glared up at him.

"My boat!" the head pirate cried. Zuko glanced over at him and then back at me.

"I will deal with you later," he said in a low voice. "Guards, tie her up!" Zuko got off of me just as two soldiers chained my wrists and ankles together.

"Hey, that's my ship!" I looked over Zuko, who was yelling at the pirates as they sailed away on his boat laughing. I chuckled softly and he once fixed me with a death glare.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I we're you," he said to me, walking over. "Take her back to the ship! Uncle, come with me, we're going to see how far the Avatar has gone!"

Zuko stalked off, followed by Iroh. The Fire Nation soldier who had me chained walked me back to the main ship. He stopped at the deck, unsure of where to leave me.

"Oh, just chain me to the deck somewhere," I sighed. "Zuko's probably going to yell at me when he returns without the Avatar, so might as well get it over with." The soldier nodded and fixed my chains to the railing of the main deck. Sure enough, Zuko came back not long after without the Avatar and with a whole lot of anger.

"What were you _thinking_?" he shouted as soon as he saw me. "I had the Avatar in my grasp; why did you let him go? I told you to _stay_ on the ship, but you defied me anyway! What is wrong with you?" I stared at him. Was he serious? "Answer me!"

"Aang is my friend!" I retorted. "And so are Sokka and Katara! I'm not going to just stand by while you turn him into your father for some reward!"

"You think I'm doing this for a reward?" Zuko hissed, leaning close to me. "You think I'm doing this for _money_? I'm the crown prince of the Fire Nation, what would I possibly need more money for?"

"I don't know, I'm not a mind reader," I glared back. "Money, fame, glory, whatev-"

"_Fame?_" Zuko roared, shooting fire out of his wrists. "_Glory?_ I am doing this for something far greater than anything your simple mind could comprehend - honor." I stared at him for a second.

"I honestly don't care _why_ you're hunting Aang," I said finally. "But the world needs the Avatar much more than your selfish desires do. He's going to help us win this war. Your nation will be defeated, and so will your father, and so will you! You're all the same, just monsters. Honor! What do you know about honor?" I spat.

Zuko whirled to face me, panting slightly and looking angrier than ever. His golden eyes blazed with undisguised fury and his scar looked darker than ever before. "You have _no idea_ what I've been through," he said darkly. "No idea the things I've seen, the challenges I've faced, so don't you _dare_ try to pretend to know me. You forget that you are in my custody and I can easily dispose of you anytime I see fit." He looked straight into my eyes, and at that moment, I believed that he actually would go through with it.

After a beat of tense silence, he looked away. "You will go down to your room. You will stay there and not come out, not even for meals, until I summon you. I will have a guard watch over you twenty four hours a day. There will be no more of this nonsense. You are my prisoner, don't forget it." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the guard to lead me down to my room.

As I headed down the stairs, I caught Iroh's eye. He looked at me with an expression of sadness and sympathy. It wasn't until I had been locked in my room and lay on my bed that I remembered his words from earlier.

_My nephew has a lot of loose nerves; it would not be hard to strike a delicate one._

I thought back to Zuko's outburst. I seemed to have struck a nerve.

* * *

**Thanks to those of you who caught my little mistake with the plant-bending - I forgot that was an ability waterbenders have, not earthbenders. Although, plants are technically part of the earth, so you'd think it'd be mutual territory or something, but whatever.**

**And to the anon wondering about metalbending, remember this is still in Book 1: Water, so Toph hasn't invented metalbending yet, or even been introduced.**

**Also, I'm not sure if you noticed, but I skipped the episode Jet because it doesn't have a lot of (or any) Zuko featured in it. I'll be doing that with a couple episodes, because I want the story to move along based on the series plot.**

**Updates are going to come less frequently too, since I'm going on vacation and leaving tomorrow, so sorry about that!**

**Thanks again for all your continued support! You guys are amazing. **

**Next up: The Storm.**


	5. The Storm

It was weeks before Zuko let me out of my room again. Staying true to his word, there was constantly a guard stationed directly outside my door. At first, the guard stood inside my room, but after I threw a hissy fit about privacy and changing that left Zuko rather red in the face, he grudgingly agreed to move the guard.

House arrest wasn't as bad as it could have been. After about a week of me laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and feeling sorry for myself, Iroh came to visit me. He made tea and we played Pai Sho and talked for hours before Zuko commanded him up on deck. Catching the dejected look on my face, Iroh promised to visit again and talk to Zuko about shortening my confinement.

It must have worked, although slowly, because after two weeks, Zuko himself knocked twice and then entered. I was laying on my bed and earthbending a tiny rock to bounce up and down in the air.

"Where did you get that!" he cried. Startled, I sat up, causing the rock to go flying out the window and into the ocean.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically. "There go my plans to take over your ship with a pebble." Zuko glared at me for a second before speaking.

"I have decided you have been in confinement long enough," he said stiffly, not looking at me. "You may go up to deck if you wish." Shrugging, I swung my feet over the edge of my bed and sauntered out the door. "That's it? No thanks?" he called after me.

"Oh, thank you, great almighty Prince, for allowing me, a humble peasant girl, to see the outside air," I called back in an overdramatic voice. I could hear him mutter angrily behind me as I climbed the ladder up to the deck.

Breathing in the fresh ocean air for the first time in weeks, I smiled. Being cooped up in there was starting to get to me. I stood at the edge of the deck and spread my arms wide, feeling the refreshing ocean spray hit my face.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself." I turned around to see Iroh smiling at me.

"Thank you, Iroh," I replied. "I take it you had something to do with my freedom."

"I may have had a few words with my nephew," he said mysteriously. "But it was not entirely my doing. I think he missed having someone to argue with." I scoffed. Punishment over or not, I was still angry at Zuko for trying to hurt Aang and Katara, and I knew he was still angry at me for letting them go.

"There is a storm coming," Iroh said suddenly, gazing up at the sky. "A big one." I looked up at the sky, confused. There was nothing but clear blue as far as I could see.

"You're out of your mind, Uncle," Zuko said. "It's perfect weather. There's not a cloud in sight!"

"A storm is heading from the north," Iroh insisted. "I suggest we alter our course and head southwest."

"We know the Avatar is heading north," Zuko replied stubbornly. "So we will do the same."

"Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew," Iroh pleaded, looking worried now.

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Zuko shouted, losing his patience, just as the lieutenant walked on deck. The lieutenant turned to stare, hearing Zuko's words, and even the prince looked a little chagrined. The tension was palpable. "Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individuals safety," Zuko said finally, walking up to the lieutenant, who looked down at him in stony eyed silence.

"He doesn't mean that," Iroh said to the captain as Zuko walked off deck. "He's just all worked up." I let out a quiet scoff. Iroh could defend his nephew all he wanted, but it was pretty clear Zuko only really cared about himself. Hearing my scoff, the lieutenant turned to look at me, and I could see understanding in his eyes. "I should probably go check on him." Iroh said, leaving just me and the lieutenant.

"Do you think there will be a storm?" I asked the lieutenant, just to break the awkward silence that was forming.

"It looks to be clear," the lieutenant said. "But General Iroh is not often wrong. I think we should alter our course."

"Like Zuko's going to do that," I muttered. "He won't listen to anyone." The lieutenant regarded me with that same expression again, like he was surprised that we were thinking the same thing. "I'm Kioni," I said finally.

"Oh, I know," he smiled slightly. "Lieutenant Jee."

"It's nice to officially meet you," I replied, also smiling. They say nothing makes friends faster than mutual hatred over the same person.

A few hours later, it turned out Iroh was right. We were fast approaching a deadly looking cluster of grey clouds. "Looks like your Uncle was right about the storm after all," Jee commented as Zuko came back up on deck.

"Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect," Zuko warned, walking up and poking him in the chest. "Or I will teach it to you."

"What do you know about respect?" Jee challenged as Zuko walked away. "The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard working crew, to your esteemed Uncle, to the earth kingdom princess, shows you know nothing about respect. You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?"

I started, surprised I had been mentioned, but it was about time someone called Zuko out. The lieutenant had basically voiced exactly what I had thought since I met Zuko, and apparently I wasn't the only one who felt that way. Iroh cringed, looking slightly panicked. Zuko's shoulders tensed, then he whirled around in fighting stance. After not even a second, the lieutenant mirrored his stance.

"Easy now," Iroh warned. The two stepped towards each other and I could see Zuko's hand start to smoke. I leaned forward, ready to defend the lieutenant if necessary. I may not be able to bend, but I was pretty skilled with just my hands. As it turns out, that wasn't necessary; Iroh stepped between them. "Enough! We're all a bit tired from being at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles, everyone will feel much better."

Seeing Jee and Zuko glare at each other with clear hatred in their eyes, I personally thought it would take more than a bowl of noodles to smooth this all over. Jee turned to walk away and Zuko turned forward.

"I don't need your help keeping order on my ship," he told his uncle. Iroh put a hand on his shoulder, which Zuko jerked away from. My eyes widened.

"He just stopped you from attacking one of your crew!" I cried out before I could stop myself. "You are completely ungrateful!" Zuko whirled towards me.

"Didn't I just release you from your room?" he shouted at me. "Hold your tongue, prisoner, or you'll go straight back!" I opened my mouth, but at a warning look from Iroh, I closed it again, seething silently.

"Princess," I turned around to see Jee watching me. "We're going to go down for some warm drinks and noodles. It's best to hide out while this storm comes. Would you care to join us?" I could feel Zuko watching my back from where I stood. The corners of my mouth quirked upwards.

"It would be a pleasure, lieutenant," I bowed slightly and followed him downstairs. Behind me, Zuko scowled.

* * *

After a warming bowl of noodles, many of the crew men had drunk mead, which was some sort of alcoholic beverage. "Would you care for some, princess?" one of the crew members offered me. "It's wonderful." I stared at it for a second. I was pretty sure that drinking alcohol was bad for young people.

"Oh, go on, one tankard won't hurt," Jee encouraged. "It just washes all of your strife away." I was feeling pretty angry still, and washing that away sounded good, so I accepted the tankard. Taking a sip, I coughed at the acrid, bitter taste and burning sensation.

"It tastes like burnt fireworks!" I choked out, and the others laughed heartily.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it," grinned another crew member, taking a large gulp of his own. I watched the men as they interacted, telling stories about their families back home as I quietly took tiny sips of my drink. I had always thought of them as just ruthless Fire Nation soldiers bent on destruction and domination, but being around them made me realize that they had wives, and children, and families and hopes and dreams just like me.

It took a while, but soon my throat stopped burning every time I took a sip of the mead. Instead, it filled me with a pleasant buzzing. By the time the conversation turned to Prince Zuko, I was feeling much more talkative.

"I am so tired of him!" I cried. "He struts around like the owns the entire world, and he has no respect for anyone else! How do you guys _deal_ with him?"

"Lots of mead," answered one guy, and we all laughed.

"I'm sick of taking his orders," Jee stated, taking a drink. "And I'm tired of chasing his Avatar! I mean, who does Zuko think he is?" I agreed wholeheartedly.

"Do you really want to know?" We all looked up to see Iroh standing at the top of the stairwell.

"General Iroh!" Jee stood up suddenly. "We were just-"

"It's okay," Iroh said, walking down the stairs. "May I join you?"

"Of course, sir," Jee said, bowing slightly. Iroh walked down the stairs at sat down, looking surprised when he saw me.

"Kioni, what are you doing here?" he asked. I shrugged, taking another sip of mead. "Are you drunk?" He narrowed his eyes and looked at me closely, then turned to glare at the crew members, who looked away sheepishly. "That's enough of that." he took the tankard away from me.

"Hey, wait!" I cried, reaching out for it, but he had already dumped it in the trash. Pouting, I leaned back and crossed my arms.

"Try to understand," Iroh said, turning back to the crew members. "My nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much. Zuko was, and still is, a deeply thoughtful and caring person. He worked as hard as anyone could and even when he faced hardship, he did not let it bring him down, he would always persevere."

"One day, about two years ago, he wanted to attend a war meeting. He maintained that he needed to learn as much as he could if he was to be Fire Lord one day. Seeing his enthusiasm, I agreed to let him come with me, as long as he did not speak out. They were planning to use a division of new recruits as bait for an Earth Kingdom battalion while more experienced troops attacked from the rear. The new recruits would have been easily wiped out. Outraged, Zuko cried out that it was unjust and wrong to sacrifice a division so callously."

I listened in utter silence at Iroh's story. Hearing about Zuko's courage, speaking out like that was a bit surprising. He certainly seemed outspoken and stubborn, but not like the type who would care so much about the well being of others.

"Zuko was right, you see? But it was not his place to speak out," Iroh continued. "And there were dire consequences. After Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him. He said that Zuko's challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect and there was only one way to resolve this."

"Agni Kai," Jee replied, looking solemn. "A fire duel." My eyes widened.

"That's right," Iroh said. "Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid. But Zuko misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general. Zuko had spoken out against the general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, it was the Fire Lord whom he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father."

I clapped a hand over my mouth, completely shocked. A surge of hatred for the Fire Lord coursed through my body. How could anyone be so cruel as to challenge their own son to a firebending fight? How was it possible to be that twisted and evil?

But Iroh's story wasn't finished. "When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy." I pictured a thirteen year old Zuko, kneeling at his father's feet. I suddenly felt sick.

"He pleaded that he only had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart, but Ozai said that he would learn respect, with suffering as his teacher," Iroh said, closing his eyes while reliving the painful memory. "He raised his arm. I looked away, but I still heard the scream."

By this point, both my hands were covering my mouth and my eyes were swimming with unshed tears. Iroh's story, coupled with the alcohol, coupled with the guilt I was feeling was making me intensely emotional.

"I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident," Jee said quietly.

"It was no accident," Iroh said gravely. "After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment, he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor."

"So that's why he's so obsessed." Qin Lee said. "Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal."

"Things will never return to normal," Iroh sighed. "But, the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope." We were all silent for a moment, before there was a crash and we all slid to the right. I screamed loudly.

"It's all right, Kioni!" Iroh said, standing up. "Everyone on deck!" We all got up and climbed the ladder, emerging on deck where Zuko was already standing. It was raining heavily, and as I looked up I could see the watch tower smoking.

"We must have been hit by lightning!" he cried. "Where were we hit?"

"There!" I pointed upwards.

"The helmsman!" Zuko shouted, and I gasped as I saw him dangling from the tower by one hand. Wasting no time, Zuko and Jee began to climb the ladder. I tried to join them, but Iroh held me back.

"Kioni, you are intoxicated, it would not be wise for you to go rushing into danger," he said, placing his hand firmly on my shoulder. Nodding, I stood back, then screamed again the next moment as lightning came streaking directly towards us. Iroh shoved me out of the way. As I went skidding across the deck, I looked up to see Iroh illuminated by the light for one second, and then it was gone the next, leaving him standing there, smoking slightly and looking surprised.

"Did you just... redirect the lightning?" I asked, shocked.

"It is a skill of mine," he said, pulling me up. The helmsman let out a cry as he slipped and fell, but Zuko caught his arm at the last second, and together he and Jee helped the man down. As we all got our balance, a roar came from above and I saw Appa flying through the sky.

"The Avatar!" Zuko shouted.

"Is Aang crazy?" I shrieked. "What is he doing flying out in this storm?"

"What should we do, sir?" Jee asked, clearly having gained some respect for Zuko after he risked his life to save the helmsman's. Zuko stared at Appa for a second.

"Let him go," Zuko said finally. "We need to get this ship to safety." I saw Iroh smile.

"Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm," he said. We all waited with baited breath as the captain steered us to the center of the storm, where it was surprisingly calm.

"Uncle, I am sorry," Zuko said finally, bowing his head.

"Your apology is accepted," Iroh smiled back at him. Zuko turned to apologize to the the crew as well, who accepted it graciously. Finally, he turned to me. I must have looked somewhat pathetic, soaking wet and still under the affects of alcohol, but as he opened his mouth, a huge splash came directly in front of us and Appa shot out of the water.

As they flew overhead, I saw Aang and Zuko look at each other for a moment before Aang faced forward and flew up and out of the storm. They didn't see me, and I was grateful; the last thing I needed was for them to come and try to rescue me.

"We should wait here until the storm ends," Iroh said. "Then we can find a safe port and make repairs. Everyone, you should go below deck for now." We all nodded and walked away to our rooms.

Walking down to my quarters, I couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that stuck with me for insulting Zuko. I had said some horrible things to him about his honor and respect. Going to his room to apologize while I was still kind of drunk probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but I wasn't exactly thinking clearly at that point.

"Come in!" he called as I knocked once. Tentatively, I opened the door. Zuko was sitting facing a portrait of his father, which made me feel even more guilty.

"Kioni?" he turned to look at me, surprised. "What's wrong? Did something happen to Uncle?" He stood and walked towards me. I shook my head, unable to speak. I couldn't form my words around an apology. "Are... are you crying?" he asked, looking closer.

"N-no." I was. I wiped at my eyes angrily. Stupid mead! What was it doing to me?

"Agni, Kioni, are you drunk?" Zuko's eyes widened as he caught a whiff of mead.

"I-I'm sorry," I managed to choke out. He blinked at me, looking lost. "I s-said some really m-mean things to you, a-and I didn't know w-what happened to you but n-now I do and I feel really b-bad." I must have looked so pathetic right then, sniffling. Zuko turned around, his shoulders tense.

"Uncle told you the story of my banishment." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," I said, tears beginning to spill from my eyes. "I'm sorry for accusing you of hunting the Avatar for selfish reasons."

* * *

"Erm... it's alright," Zuko replied awkwardly, after the earth princess had apologized to him. She was the last person he expected an apology out of, after she'd done nothing but mock and scorn him since they'd met. But here she was, standing in his doorway, teary and clearly drunk.

He'd have to talk to the crewmen about giving her mead. Obviously, her system did not handle alcohol well. He was angry at Uncle for telling them his story, but he supposed they would have found out anyway. Plus, it was a little hard to be angry at Kioni when she looked so helpless.

Her lip quivered after he accepted her apology, and before Zuko knew it, she had launched herself at him. "Whoa!" he cried, stumbling backwards. At first he tensed, thinking she was trying to attack him, but then he realized she was hugging him. He stiffened, completely unsure of what to do.

"Um... it's okay, Kioni," he said, patting her shoulder awkwardly. "I forgive you, just... please stop crying." That only made her cry harder. "Oh, no, um, oh Agni, what am I supposed to do? Look, Kioni, let's just get you to your room okay. You'll feel better if you sleep."

Tentatively, the prince peeled the crying girl away from him and gently led her down to her room, where she collapsed on her bed and started breathing deeply. Blinking once, Zuko's face softened slightly as he looked down at the sleeping princess, then closed the door and headed back to his room.

The next morning, Kioni emerged on deck, groaning and holding her head. She looked awful, and Zuko watched with slight amusement as she cursed the spirits and vowed never to drink alcohol again. She caught his eye and offered him the tiniest of smiles, which he tentatively returned. He wasn't sure if she remembered what had happened that night. She was so out of it, Zuko wouldn't have been surprised if it was completely gone from her memory.

Either way, neither of them mentioned it again.

* * *

**I'm back! Thanks for being so patient for updates guys, I really appreciate it. I will update more frequently now, I promise.**

**Next up: The Blue Spirit.**


	6. The Blue Spirit

Where in the world was my flute?

I looked under the bed, behind the cabinets, even behind the Fire Nation insignia, but that blasted instrument was nowhere to be found! I huffed in frustration, placing my hands on my hips. Music Night was starting any minute now, and Iroh and I had been practicing a great duet of _The Badgermole's Battle_.

Checking under the bed one last time, I stood and sighed. Maybe I had accidentally left it somewhere? Exiting my room, I looked down the hall and saw Prince Zuko's door slam shut. Perhaps he had seen my flute. We hadn't fought in a few days, so hopefully he would be amable about me asking. I walked down the hall and knocked on is door.

"Who is it?" A panicked voice came from within. I frowned.

"Kioni."

"Oh, uh..." There was a rustling and the clang of what sounded like swords and Zuko opened the door a crack. "What do you want?" I stared at him for a second. His ponytail was askew and he was dressed in all black.

"Um... what are you wearing?" I asked suspiciously.

"... training outfit," he answered quickly, avoiding my eyes. "Do you need something?"

"Yeah... have you seen my flute lately?" I asked.

"Nope, ask Uncle," he replied hastily before slamming the door in my face. I blinked and then crossed my arms. So much for amable.

"I can't find my flute anywhere," I announced as I came up on deck. "Whoa, what's that?" I pointed upwards to a huge tower in the distance.

"Colonel Shinu's base," Iroh said, staring at it as well. "Home of the Yu Yan arches, the most legendary archers in the world. They say the Yu Yan can pin a fly to a tree a hundred yards away without killing it."

"Zhao's there." I jumped as I saw Zuko emerge on deck, dressed in his usual uniform. "He's probably trying to recruit them."

"How do you know?" I asked him. He looked uncomfortable for a moment.

"I saw his ship in the dock as we passed," he said finally. Something about his expression told me he wasn't telling the truth.

"Well, hopefully we don't run into him," Iroh said. "We don't want any trouble."

* * *

Unfortunately, we did end up with trouble. The next day, we were sailing in the waters near the island with Shinu's base on it. Zuko and Jee were strategy planning while Iroh and I played Pai Sho in the corner. Actually, I had just arrived, so Iroh was playing Pai Sho while I waited for one of the other crew members to lose so I could sub in.

"We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm," Jee said, looking at a map. He and Zuko had gotten on pretty well after the storm. The same thing couldn't really been said for Zuko and I. I don't quite remember what happened, but I know that I must have apologized to Zuko, because he treated me with much less rage for a few days after, although he seemed rather careful when talking to me. "But if we continue heading northeast..." Jee cut off as a huge shadow passed over the ship.

"What do they want?" Zuko wondered.

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho!" Iroh said hopefully.

"Hey, I'm subbing in next!" I insisted. As it turned out, the soldiers did not, in fact, want a sporting game of Pai Sho. They came bearing posters with Aang's face on them. I shrunk behind Iroh slightly, not wanting to be spotted.

"The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance," the soldier announced while Zuko watched, unimpressed. "All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao."

"Zhao has been promoted?" Iroh asked. "Well, good for him!" I failed to see how that was a good thing.

"I've got nothing to report to Zhao," Zuko said in a low voice. "Now get off my ship and let us pass."

"Admiral Zhao is not allowed ships in or out of this area," the soldier said sternly.

"Off my ship!" Zuko yelled, pointing them away. Meanwhile, Iroh moved his final piece, winning all his opponents tiles as they groaned.

"Yes! My turn!" I cheered.

* * *

Later that night, I was laying on my bed when I heard a commotion right outside my door. Startled, I leapt off the bed and sneakily crept to the door. I opened it a crack and walked into the hallway, when I ran right into someone - or rather, they literally ran into me.

"Oof!" I sat up and looked straight into a terrifying blue mask. I opened my mouth to scream when a hand clamped over my mouth. Terror shot through my body and I immediately started struggling.

"Kioni! Agni, Kioni, calm down, it's me!"

I stopped struggling, recognizing the voice. "Zuko?" I asked. He let go of me and took of the mask, looking away. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, none of your business, just go back to your room," he said harshly. I crossed my arms over my chest and stepped in front of him.

"Not until you tell me where you're going and what you're doing with that creepy mask and... are those broadswords?" I pointed at the dual blades behind Zuko's back.

"I... ugh!" he growled quietly, clearly caught. "Zhao's captured the Avatar, okay? I can't let him take the kid, or else I'll never be able to go back home. I'm going to bust him out and then capture him for myself."

"I'm coming with you," I said immediately.

"What? No way!" he hissed. "Get back to your room!"

"Aang is my friend," I insisted. "And there's no way you'll get past all of Zhao's defenses by yourself."

"You'll just help him escape, like last time!" Zuko accused. "Plus, how are you even going to sneak in? Dressed like that?"

"I have a black outfit too," I said testily. "And you're not the only one who bought a creepy mask at that marketplace. I even have dual swords like yours."

"I... what?" Zuko looked completely confused.

"I'm not _just_ an earthbender, you know," I smirked. "I know my way around sword fighting. A princess needs to know how to defend herself." Zuko hesitated for a minute.

"No."

"Let me come, or I'll tell Iroh where you're going." A flash of panic crossed Zuko's face.

"Urgh!" He stamped his foot, causing a tiny fire to erupt. "Agni, fine! You can come! But you better not mess anything up, because I am _not_ jeopardizing this mission to save you."

"I can take care of myself," I scoffed. "I'll meet you on deck." I ran back to my room, quickly changed into a black shirt and pants, and rummaged through the junk I'd bought at that marketplace until I pulled out a long, narrow green mask. Reaching under my bed, I unsheathed my butterfly swords and smiled. Hopefully I still remembered how to use these.

I met Zuko on deck, who looked me over once and then nodded his approval. Together, we silently leapt off the decks and took off running. Finally, we reached the entrance of the base and hid in the bushes.

"What now, oh wise one?" I asked Zuko. Ignoring the same, he pointed to some delivery carts.

"Get under those, quick." Nodding, we crept through the night and each slipped under a cart. I held my breath as the inspector looked under Zuko's cart, but nothing happened, so I figured he must have gotten out okay. When we were safely inside, I saw him slip out of the cart and look towards my cart. I crawled out from underneath and together we ran and silently slipped into the building.

"The Avatar will be in the center of the base," Zuko said. "We should split up and find him."

"Um, _that's_ a dumb idea," I said. "How are we going to find each other again? How will we know if someone gets captured? Our best bet is to stick together." Zuko looked like he was going to argue with me, but then just sighed.

"Fine," he replied, then looked out a window. "Perfect. They're all in a meeting right now. Let's hurry up and find him. And remember, _no one_ can know our identities, not even the Avatar when we find him. And don't use your bending unless absolutely necessary." I nodded, and we took off running through the halls.

"Today is the year we capture Ba Sing Se and burn the city to the ground!" I heard Zhao yell as we crept along the back wall of the base. I stiffened, turning around to glare at where he was.

"Keep moving!" Zuko hissed at me. Narrowing my eyes, I turned back and threw a rope over the wall. We ran into the vents and slipped through them, finally emerging in a dark corridor. Unfortunately, there was a firebender guard there.

Fortunately, Zuko thought quickly, throwing a punch of fire at the soldier and knocking him out. "What happened to don't use bending unless it's necessary?" I asked incredulously as the helmet bounced away.

"Shh!" he hissed, holding a finger to his mask. Another soldier turned the corner and Zuko quickly kicked fire at him, throwing him against the wall as well. I grabbed a chain off the wall and tied the two together. As two more soldiers came down the hall, I grabbed Zuko's hand and used a rock to catapult us onto the ceiling. The other guards walked by, ready to fight, and Zuko dropped down and chained them both.

As I ran around the corner, the final guard made to blow the alarm horn, but I threw one of my butterfly swords at him and knocked the horn out of his hands. As he shot a blast of fire at me, I catapulted myself at the ceiling and swung upwards to avoid the blast, then swung down and at his ankles with my other sword to send him flying. I landed on both my feet as Zuko used his swords to break the door open.

Sure enough, there was Aang, chained by his hands and feet in the center of the room. He looked up, wide eyed and frightened when he saw us. I wanted to call out to him, but I couldn't risk blowing my cover. Aang let out a terrified cry as Zuko ran towards him, twirling his swords, but he only cut the chains off Aang's hands and feet.

The airbender stood up, looking utterly confused, as Zuko sheathed his swords. I ran forward, grabbing Aang by the hand and pulling him along. "Who are you?" he asked. "What's going on? Are you here to rescue me?" Silently, I tugged faster, urging him to move. "I'll take that as a yes."

Zuko walked ahead of us as we headed down the halls, tense and ready to fight. "My frogs!" Aang cried suddenly dropping to a crouch. "Wait! Come back, my friends need to suck on you! And stop thawing out!" Annoyed, I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him along. This was no time for his silly twelve year old nonsense.

We headed back the way we came, moving swiftly and silently. As we reached the end of the sewers, Zuko pulled himself up to check the coast, then motioned for us to come. I leapt out first, then helped Aang out.

We had just reached the wall and were beginning the climb up the rope when the alarms sounded.

"There! On the wall!" A general yelled. I suddenly found myself falling as the rope was cut, but thankfully Aang used his airbending to soften our fall. I landed in a crouched stance, both hands on the swords at my waist. Zuko stood, pointing at the gates, and we took off running towards them.

"The Avatar has escaped!" shouted Zhao from his lookout point. "Close all the gates immediately!"

"Stay close to me!" Aang cried, running in front of Zuko and I. We were maybe a hundred yards from the closing gates when a line of warriors ran in front of it, pointing their spears at us. Aang blew them away with a large gust of air and dashed ahead to the gates.

It was about then I found myself completely surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers.

Back to back with Zuko, I whipped out my swords and started to fight. Twirling, jabbing, twisting to avoid spears, I knocked the spears out of as many hands as I could, but they just kept coming. I could see Zuko attacking with his swords as well, but it seemed hopeless. I hope at least Aang had made it out safely.

Suddenly, the soldiers were blown away as Aang flew down next to us. Before I knew it, I was flying, shot upwards by a gust of air. Zuko and I landed on top of the first wall, and used our swords to knock down the soldiers waiting there.

"Grab my legs!" Aang shouted as he flew overhead. Grabbing Zuko's hand tightly, I ran and launched myself upwards to grab at Aang's feet, using them to hoist myself up. Aang wrapped his legs around my shoulders and I tightened my grip around Zuko's hand, making sure he didn't fall.

As Aang used his staff to propel us over the remaining walls, Zuko used his swords to deflect the spears and arrows shot our way. Even one handed, he was amazing. But our combined weight was too much for Aang, and we were sent hurtling towards the ground. I somersaulted into a standing position and flung one of my butterfly swords just in time to stop a soldier from spearing Zuko. Running and using the other one to deflect blows, I grabbed my sword just as Zuko wrestled a soldier away from Aang.

More soldiers were scaling the wall, and even though we used our swords and airbending to push them off the wall, they just kept coming. I had an idea though; I grabbed two of the pliable ladders they had used and handed them to Aang, miming walking on stilts.

"Great idea!" he cried. "Jump on my back." I climbed on Aang's back and Zuko climbed on mine, wrapping his legs around my waist. Together, we started walking forward on the stilts. It seemed we were almost at the final wall when one of the soldiers lit the ladder on fire. Crying out, we leapt forward, and Aang's fingers grazed the top off the wall before we fell, landing in a heap.

Leaping off, Zuko and I stood in front of Aang protectively with our swords out. We were utterly trapped. They shot jets of fire at us, but Aang pushed us out of the way and deflected them with a force field of air.

"Hold your fire!" The fire blasts stopped and I saw Admiral Zhao walking towards us. "The Avatar must be captured alive." At hearing those words, Zuko leapt forward and put both his blades at Aang's throat. I was about to cry out when I realized his plan. Standing beside them, I drew my butterfly swords in a defensive position.

Zhao stared at Zuko for a long second, his cold amber eyes narrowing. "Open the gate." he said finally.

"Admiral, what are you doing?" Shinu questioned.

"Let them out! Now!" Zhao commanded. Miraculously, the gates opened and Zuko and I began to walk backwards slowly, his swords still at Aang's throat. As we cleared the wall, I let out a breath. I couldn't believe we actually pulled this off!

That's when I saw the glint of the arrows.

I leapt out of the way just in time, but it was too late for Zuko. The arrow hit in square in the forehead of the mask, causing him to fall backwards and hit the ground hard. Aang gasped as Zuko's mask slipped to reveal his scar and I knew it was too late. I stood with my legs apart and concentrated hard, spreading my arms quickly to create a massive trench directly in front of the soldiers running towards us. I breathed a sigh of relief as they fell into my trap.

Grabbing Zuko, I hoisted him over my shoulder and began running for the trees, with Aang following me. Aang whipped up a cloud of dust to cover our tracks as we raced down the path, finally diving for cover behind some bushes. I continued walking, hoping I could lose Aang, but Zuko was getting heavy and I had to put him down.

"Who are you?" Aang demanded, running up to me. "You're traveling with Prince Zuko; he wants to capture me! But then why did he save me? And you're an earthbender? What's going on?"

I looked at the young airbender for a second and then shook my head. I couldn't reveal myself now, not without Aang questioning why I was with Zuko. He was safe now, so I motioned for him to leave.

"I'm not leaving until Zuko wakes up!" he insisted angrily. "And I'm not leaving until I find out who you are!" He leapt forward to remove my mask, but I jumped back and quickly summoned a wall of stone to block him. As the dust cleared, I pointed once to my mask and shook my head to indicate I wouldn't reveal myself.

"Fine." Aang huffed, sitting down on a log. "I just don't understand. Zuko's been hunting me down, why would he try to save me? Unless it was so he could capture me for himself."

I pretended to ignore Aang and kneeled over Zuko, smoothing the hair off his forehead so I could check the wound. Thankfully, the arrow hadn't pierced the mask, so there was just a small, point-shaped bruise on his forehead where the arrow had struck. I checked his pulse, letting out a breath of relief; he was only knocked out.

"... but then why didn't he just capture me earlier?" Aang continued to ramble. "Why wait until Zhao captured me? I mean, I've been in this forest for a while. Why use the creepy blue mask? Can't you talk?"

I started, realizing he was talking to me. "I just want to understand what's going on." Aang pleaded. I shook my head once. If I spoke, I would definitely be given away.

"Why did Zuko rescue me? Was it so he could capture me himself?" A shrug.

"Why is he so intent on capturing me anyway? Why does it matter that he's the one?" A pause, and then I shrugged again.

Aang glared at me. "You're no help." I titled my head apologetically.

I glanced around at the trees and plants around me. I knew quite a bit about healing plants and herbs, maybe I could find something here that would wake Zuko up. We had to get back to the ship before Iroh noticed we were missing. I stood, pointing to the plants and miming that I would be right back.

"Yeah, I'll watch over him." Aang said glumly, looking at the floor. Feeling sorry for the young airbender, I patted his shoulder once before I walked off into the forest. I leapt up into one of the taller trees, scanning the ground for plants.

There! A blue jasmine lily. If I could find some water to steam that in, I was pretty sure it would release a smell powerful enough to wake Zuko up. I shimmied to the ground and picked a few lilies, making to head back to the site.

Suddenly, a flash of fire and a yell came from where Aang and Zuko were lying. Startled, I jumped up and started running towards them. When I reached the area, Aang was gone and Zuko was standing up, his fist outstreched and panting slightly.

"What happened?" I asked, looking around. "Where's Aang?" Zuko ignored me, turning away and picking up his mask and swords. I closed my eyes in annoyance. Zuko must have woken up and tried to capture Aang, but it seemed like the Avatar had escaped his clutches once more.

"Let's just go back." Zuko said, not looking at me. He turned and took off running. I stared after the spot where he had vanished before rolling my eyes and running after him.

We reached the ship just after sunrise, slipping in through the back quietly. I headed to my room and quickly changed back into my regular clothes, stashing the swords and mask underneath my bed. When I emerged on deck, I cringed. Iroh was sitting there with his tsungi horn and that creepy red-eyed monkey statue.

"Where have you been, Kioni?" he asked me. "You missed Music Night! Lieutenant Jee sang a stirring love song."

"Oh, um... I was feeling kind of tired last night," I said warily, rubbing my head.

"Understandable," Iroh nodded. "I noticed Prince Zuko missing last night as well. Do you have any idea where he went?"

"Nope, didn't see him," I replied awkwardly. Iroh watched me for a second.

"Well, if you see him, tell him he was greatly missed at Music Night," he said finally. I nodded once, then turned and headed back to my room to avoid any more interrogation.

As I walked down the hallway, I noticed Zuko leaning outside his door looking at me. I stopped and looked at him questioningly. After a while, he looked away and muttered, "Thanks."

"For what?" I asked, surprised.

"You know, for last night. Helping, and uh, saving me and everything." Zuko coughed awkwardly, looking anywhere but me.

I blinked once. "Oh, um, you're welcome, I guess." He nodded once before turning and disappearing into his room.

I stood there for another second before walking back into my own room and flopping down on the bed. Rolling over, I stared at the ceiling.

What was that all about?

* * *

**Starting and ending with a question... keeps the suspense alive haha. Sorry for the long gap in the updates, I promise the next chapter will be up quicker! **

**As always, feedback is much appreciated! Thank you so much to those of you who continue to review; it really means a lot to me. **

**Next up: The Waterbending Master.**


	7. The Waterbending Master

Things between Zuko and I were weird.

Ever since we'd worked together to free Aang from Zhao's evil clutches, I didn't know quite how to act around him. I didn't think we were enemies anymore, but we weren't exactly friends either. The strange thing was, since he was _still_ hunting the Avatar and I was _still_ secretly spying on him, we technically _were_ enemies.

We didn't really act like it though. He generally stopped making rude comments and referring to me as "prisoner", and I generally stopped replying with snarky comments and referring to him as "Prince Pouty."

It wasn't friends, but it was a vast improvement. There are just some things you can't go through without gaining some mutual respect, and escaping from a deranged Fire Nation general with hundreds of soldiers and a team of master archers at his disposal is one of them.

Speaking of that night, Zuko and I were now technically fugitives. I'd seen wanted posters featuring our masked faces emblazoned with the caption, "WANTED: THE BLUE AND GREEN SPIRITS," at the last port we'd stopped at. When I pointed the posters out to Zuko, he shrugged, not caring, but I could see the flash of panic in his eyes.

I was a little worried too, but it was unlikely we would be discovered. There was no way Zhao could've known who we were, and nobody would expect the Avatar's rescuer to be the banished Fire Nation prince and his Earth Kingdom princess prisoner.

Besides, it was kind of cool to be a wanted criminal.

I wasn't sure if Iroh suspected anything about us, because when he first saw the poster, he cast a worried glance at Zuko and I. But he hadn't mentioned anything about our absence since that morning, so I figured he was clueless.

The next few weeks were generally uneventful, save for one occasion where some crazy bounty hunter named June attacked our ship, searching for a stowaway. Zuko, of course, immediately tracked her down and demanded she help him find the Avatar using Katara's necklace.

I didn't trust June. With her jet black hair and her assortment of weird tattoos, and especially that creepy shirshu, the bounty hunter unnerved me. I warned Zuko against using her help, but he merely ignored me, as usual, and rode off with Iroh. I smirked to myself as Zuko returned about a day later without the Avatar, the necklace, or the bounty hunter.

"Is that... perfume?" I asked incredulously, sniffing the air as Zuko stalked past and then recoiling as the strong scent hit my nostrils. He responded with a glare as he slammed the door of his room behind him. I rolled my eyes.

Clearly not _that_ much had changed.

* * *

Fortunately, we didn't encounter Zhao for a few weeks after our escape. Unfortunately, when we did cross paths again, it was not a diplomatic meeting.

It started off as a beautiful night. We had docked for the night in a small town near the edge of the Earth Kingdom borders. The air was pleasantly warm and fireflies twinkled lazily against the purplish navy sky. After a delicious dinner of noodles, Iroh pulled out his tsungi horn.

"Who's up for Music Night?" he said, and the crew cheered. Zuko scowled.

"No thanks," he said, rolling his eyes while putting his bowl away.

"Aw, come on, Zuko!" I said, tugging on his sleeve. He fixed me with a look and pulled away, stalking below deck to go sit in his room, presumably.

"Leave him be," Iroh told me, beginning to strum. The other crew members pulled out their instruments and Lt. Jee handed me my flute. I joined in as they began to play a classic ballad.

Music Night was one of the only good things about Zuko's ship. I was shocked to discover how talented all the crew members were; their moving love ballads and thrilling adventure songs were incredible. After several hours, the sky had darkened, but the music still floated through the air. I had put down my flute and was now dancing with the helmsman as Iroh sang a classic love song.

_"Winter, spring, summer and fall," _Iroh sang in his low, throaty voice. _"Winter, spring, summer, and fall. Four seasons, four loves. Four seasons, four loves."_

The helmsman had just dipped me when I heard the _twang_ of the pipa. I turned around to look at the pipa player and froze. There, on the deck of the ship, stood Zhao and two of his soldiers.

"Evening, General Iroh," he drawled. "I'm sorry to interrupt."

"Not at all, Admiral Zhao," Iroh replied, bowing slightly. "It is always an honor. May I ask what brings you to our ship?"

"I have a proposition for your crew," Zhao said, turning to face them. "As you all clearly know, the Avatar is headed to the Northern Water Tribe. He is seeking a waterbending master. I am putting together a massive invasion to retrieve the Avatar and capture the North Pole. I would be most honored if you would join my force."

Iroh stiffened. The crew looked at each other uncertainly. "With all due respect, Admiral," Jee spoke. "If you have a massive invasion force, what purpose would we serve?"

Zhao's lips quirked in a nasty smirk. "Why, Lieutenant Jee, you do not give yourself enough credit!" he spoke, his voice ringing with false sincerity. "You all are vastly experienced soldiers and sailors. Your presence in this invasion would be indispensable." The crew still didn't look convinced.

"But what about Prince Zuko?" the helmsman asked, a few others nodded. Zhao's eyes narrowed and the smirk fell off his face.

"Prince Zuko's quest to capture the Avatar is a failure," Zhao said, his voice taking on a much colder tone. "Should you continue to stick by him, you will undoubtedly waste the rest of your lives aimlessly wandering at sea. He is no closer to catching the Avatar as he was when he was banished nearly three years ago. If you join my task force, after we conquer the Northern Water Tribe, you will all have the freedom to return to your homes, your families."

I saw the longing appear on the men's faces. They were tired and weary from being at sea. It had been too long since they'd been home.

"Plus, I will pay you double," Zhao added.

"I'm in," the cook spoke. The others, including me, looked at him incredulously. "It's been ages since I've seen my wife and son. It's time I go home." One by one, as the others agreed to join, Zhao's sinister smile continued to grow.

Zhao turned to Lieutenant Jee, who looked conflicted. "Very well," he sighed finally, and my heart sank a little bit. Then, anger flowed through me. Who was Zhao to take Zuko's crew away from him? Zuko needed these men far more than Zhao did!

"And who might this be?" Zhao's voice suddenly took on a different tone. I started as I realized he was staring at me. He walked forward until he was uncomfortably close. A shiver went through me as I met his cold amber eyes, refusing to look down.

"Admiral Zhao, Princess Kioni of Omashu," Iroh said. "She is Zuko's prisoner, to be delivered to his father along with the Avatar." Zhao scoffed lightly at Iroh's statement, not taking his eyes off me.

"Well, since I'm already taking one of Zuko's supposed gifts..." he drawled, glancing over me in a way that sent a bolt of fear through me. I suddenly felt goosebumps pop up on my skin. Zhao raised a hand, presumably to touch my face, but I stepped away quickly, holding my hands protectively in front of me.

"Don't touch me," I said quietly but firmly, trying not to betray the fear I felt.

"You do not have the authority to take Zuko's prisoners as your own," Iroh spoke loudly, his voice hard. "Princess Kioni stays here." Zhao looked me up and down one last time with that terrifying feral gleam in his eye before turning to Iroh.

"Very well," he said, in an unctuous tone. "And you, General Iroh? Surely your talents are wasted on this scrap of a ship."

"I made a promise to stick by my nephew," Iroh replied. "I'm afraid I cannot accept your offer."

"I understand," Zhao replied oily. "What a shame. May I speak to the young prince before I leave?"

"Let us go visit his chambers," Iroh replied. "I warn you, he will not be pleased."

"I'm afraid the matter is out of his hands," Zhao sneered, turning to follow Iroh below deck, leaving me rattled.

* * *

Zuko was indeed, sitting in his room alone, when the door opened. "For the last time, I'm not playing the tsungi horn!" he said irritably, not looking as his uncle entered.

"No, it's about our plans," Iroh said somewhat nervously. "There is a slight problem."

"I'm taking your crew," a second voice said and Zuko tensed. _Zhao._

"What?" he cried, whirling around and lunging forward.

"I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole," Zhao said.

"Uncle, is that true?" Zuko said, looking at his uncle desperately. Zhao couldn't take his crew! How was he supposed to capture the Avatar with no crew?

"I'm afraid so," Iroh said. "He's taking everyone, even the cook!" Iroh lamented.

Everyone? Suddenly, Zuko thought of Princess Kioni and froze. He'd heard stories of what happened to prisoners on other ships, especially female prisoners. A surge of protective anger shot through him.

"You can't take Ki- my prisoner!" he growled. "It's not within your authority. She belongs to me." Zhao regarded him curiously.

"I am aware of the fact," Zhao replied cooly. "A shame, really. Pretty girl like that... I'm sure I would find her useful on my ship." Zuko clenched his fists in anger. "You seem oddly protective of her, Prince Zuko."

Zuko looked down, unable to meet his piercing stare. "I won't have you stealing another prisoner from me." he replied finally.

"Ah, yes, it's a shame you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar," Zhao smirked. "But I can't have you getting in my way again."

Zuko's anger boiled over the edge as he rushed forward with a yell, but his uncle stepped in front of him to block him from attacking Zhao. Ignoring his outburst, Zhao turned to face the broadswords on the wall. His eyes widened in recognition. Zuko's breath caught in his throat as Zhao reached forward to grab one of the swords.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko," he said quietly, swinging one of them around.

"I'm not," Zuko replied, keeping his face straight. "They're antiques. Just decorative."

"Have you heard of the Blue and Green sprits, General Iroh?" Zhao asked, examining the sword.

"Just rumors," Iroh replied. "I don't think they are real."

"They're real, all right," Zhao said menacingly, walking towards the two. "A duo of criminals, who use swords just as these. They are enemies of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with them soon." Zhao turned and began to walk away. "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands, if you change your mind."

With that, Zhao exited, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Once I had gotten the feeling back in my legs, I made my way downstairs, feeling slightly ill. I didn't know why that encounter with Zhao had rattled me so much. Something about the way he looked at me made me feel angry and terrified all at the same time. I felt ashamed of the way he had scared me and left me unable to speak.

I punched my pillow, then buried my face in it, feeling tears leak out of my eyes and hating myself for being so weak. A quiet knock came from outside my door.

"Come in," I said miserably. The door opened slightly and Iroh stuck his head in.

"It's a lovely night," he said. "Would you care to join me for a walk?" I wiped my eyes discreetly and turned to look at him.

"Maybe another night. I'm not feeling too well," I replied, not entirely lying. Iroh studied me for a minute before nodding sadly.

"If you say so," he said. "Zuko is staying back also, perhaps you can keep each other company." I rolled back over in response. I could hear Iroh sigh as he left, closing the door behind him.

I was laying on my side, feeling miserable, when suddenly a loud squeak echoed through the ship. I sat straight up, feeling myself tense. "Zuko?" I called, sliding off the bed and making my way to the door. I opened it and stuck my head out into the hallway just in time to see Zuko leap out from his room in a fighting stance.

"Zuko?" I asked, and he whirled around before relaxing when he saw it was just me. "Was that you?"

"No," he replied, looking more suspicious. "You heard it too?"

"Yeah," I said. "It's probably just Iroh returning." Zuko didn't look convinced. I wasn't entirely sure myself.

"I'm going to go check it out," he said, walking quietly down the hallway. I nodded, and followed him, first dashing back to my room to grab my butterfly swords. Something didn't feel right.

We crept down the hallways, Zuko's hands in a fighting stance and my swords drawn protectively. We walked up to the main steering room and looked around. Their didn't seem to be anyone there.

"Maybe we just imagined it?" I asked, sheathing my swords and peering around. Zuko's mouth tugged downwards. I walked forward to the window to look out onto the deck.

As I was trying to see through the darkness, I heard a loud caw.

I whipped around to see Zuko's eyes widen in horror. Then, the boat rocked with a deafening explosion. We both cried out as we stumbled from the force of the blow. I let out a scream as I saw a fiery blast destroy the door of the room and rocket towards us.

"Kioni, watch out!" Zuko shouted, barreling into me just as the explosion collided with us, blowing us through the glass windows of the ship and overboard. One second I was standing in the room, the next I was hurtling through the air, my face burning and stinging, my lungs filled with acrid smoke. Zuko's arms, which were wrapped around my waist, were suddenly wrenched away. One thought flew through my mind.

_I'm going to die._

I hit the water hard, plummeting ten, fifteen feet down under water. _Surface. _I thought. _Must reach surface_. Using what little strength I had left, I kicked my way upwards. The cold air stung my face as I gasped quickly, inhaling as much oxygen as I could and coughing violently to expel the smoke. Once I had my breath back, I looked up at the ship. It was a raging inferno. It was a miracle that I had survived that explosion.

"Zuko!" I screamed suddenly, looking around frantically. Panic flooded through me. "Zuko, can you hear me? Zuko!" I saw a head floating a few feet away. Relieved, I swam quickly towards him, but my heart thudded in my chest again when I saw his eyes were closed.

"Zuko!" I cried, cupping his face with both hands. "Zuko, wake up, please!" His face was dotted with cuts and burns. I was sure mine was also; I could feel the saltwater stinging my wounds.

To my relief, Zuko's amber eyes slowly flickered open. He took a deep, shuddering breath and began coughing harshly. In his coughing fit, he slipped underwater once more. I grabbed his arm and yanked him above water, slinging his arm around my shoulder. After he finished coughing, he turned to look at me.

"Kioni," he rasped, sounding worse than I felt. "What..." He broke off into another fit of coughing. I bit my lip. Zuko seemed more injured than I thought, probably because he'd thrown himself in front of me and taken most of the blast.

"We need to get to shore," I said, my heart sinking as I saw blood from one of his cuts trickle down his face. Zuko caught sight of the burning ship and his face hardened.

"Zhao," he said between gritted teeth. "H-his fault." I stared incredulously between Zuko and the ship.

"You think Zhao did this?" I asked. Zuko opened his mouth but was cut off by more wheezing. "Okay, no more talking, let's get back to shore."

I started to swim towards the dock, Zuko feebly kicking beside me. After about fifty yards, I started feeling lightheaded. Something on my forehead was stinging uncontrollably and my skin felt cold and clammy. Suddenly, Zuko halted and looked at me, his face an expression of horror.

"You're bleeding," he whispered, reaching up. His fingers made contact with my forehead and I winced. He drew his hand away and I could see his fingers coated in blood. _My blood_.

"I'm fine," I said, my voice shaking. My heart was going a mile a minute, my legs were becoming heavy, and my lungs were starting to burn as well. Not to mention I must have been gushing blood out of my head. But I _had _to make it to shore. Zuko grabbed my arm and hooked it around his waist. He began to kick more fiercely, and it seemed like he was pulling me instead of the other way around.

Finally, I felt my feet make contact with the sandy floor. Nearly crying with relief, I summoned my energy and used the sand to push us out of the water. We landed in a heap on the beach, a mess of tangled limbs, gasping for air.

"Iroh," I managed, rolling over to make sure Zuko was still alive. He nodded, rolling on to his back. I watched as he took a deep breath and exhaled, letting a small plume of flame shoot into the sky.

It was so cold. I could feel blood from my cut dripping down my face into the sand. I shivered violently, instinctively scooting closer to Zuko, unable to find the strength to move, to get up, to find Iroh. The corners of my vision were turning black. I felt Zuko inhale deeply again.

The flash of fire was the last thing I saw before I passed out.

* * *

When I came to, I was lying on a small, uncomfortable cot with a blanket up to my waist. I blinked slowly against the bright sunlight, clearing the dredges of sleep from my mind. I was confused for a minute. Where was I?

_The explosion!_

I sat up too suddenly, groaning when my head spun sickeningly. Pressing a hand to my forehead, I closed my eyes and took a few deep, steadying breaths until the nauseating feeling passed.

"Easy now," a low voice said. I looked up as Iroh entered the room, looking tired but relieved. "Don't exert yourself, Kioni. You've lost quite a bit of blood." I reached up to my forehead to feel a thick bandage covering the cut.

"Wha... what happened?" I asked groggily, still not fully awake.

"I was on my walk when I saw the explosion," Iroh said. "I rushed back to the ship, but it was already up in flames. I feared the worst until I saw Zuko's flare and found you two lying on the beach. I brought you back to this inn and patched you up."

"Zuko," I said, struggling to get up. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

"He's fine," Iroh said, gently putting a hand on my shoulder and guiding me back down. "There was a lot of smoke in his lungs, but I gave him some healing tea and he should be resting up now. Healing you was a bit trickier." He glanced up at my forehead. "Thankfully, because you're an earthbender, I presume, your body reacts very quickly to healing plants."

At that moment, Zuko stumbled into the room. He looked relatively unharmed, save for a few scratches on his face and a small bruise next to his unscarred eye. His panicked expression faded to one of relief as he laid eyes on me.

"You're okay," he breathed.

"I'm okay," I repeated, slightly confused. Zuko scratched his head awkwardly.

"I thought...," He shook his head and opened his mouth, trying again. "You were bleeding so much, I didn't know-" The prince blushed slightly and I felt my own cheeks becoming warm.

"Hey," I said softly, interrupting his rambling. He met my eyes. "I'm fine." I smiled at him and he returned the smile tentatively.

"I am also certainly relieved you are both all right," Iroh added. "But you still both need your rest. Now, Zuko, sit!" Zuko rolled his eyes and sat down in a chair while Iroh prepared a pot of tea.

"Now," he said, handing us each a cup and sitting down in a chair facing us. "Tell me what happened."

"It was Zhao," Zuko said immediately, setting his cup down. "I'm sure of it."

"Zhao?" Iroh asked sharply. "How do you know?"

"Well, it wasn't _directly_ Zhao," Zuko explained. "Remember those pirates? I saw their bird seconds before the ship exploded."

"I thought I heard a bird cry!" I exclaimed. Zuko nodded at me.

"But those pirates must have been hired by Zhao," he continued. "It doesn't make sense for them to act on their own. They had no idea where we were, for one thing. And I doubt they had the resources to pull it off. If they did, why wait until now? It doesn't make sense for them to act by themselves. I'll bet you anything Zhao paid them to finish me off." Zuko clenched his fist in anger.

Iroh nodded thoughtfully, sipping at his tea. "It does make sense. Zhao has wanted you out of his way for a while now, but I never imagined he would go to such lengths." Iroh's eyes narrowed.

"What are we going to do?" I asked.

"I need to get to the North Pole," Zuko said, looking determined. "I _must_ capture the Avatar before Zhao does."

"Um, Zuko, not to be discouraging or anything, but Zhao has a whole fleet of ships at his disposal whereas the only ship you had is probably on the bottom of the ocean floor," I pointed out. Zuko sent me a glare.

"Perhaps there is another way," Iroh said, a devious twinkle in his eye.

* * *

That's how, a few hours later, I found myself clad in a Fire Nation uniform.

"This thing is so uncomfortable," I grumbled, tugging at the sleeves. "How do you deal with this?"

"Shh!" Zuko hissed in reply. He was dressed in a uniform identical to mine. We stood in a massive line of soldiers, all wearing the same uniform, preparing to board on of the ships.

"Why couldn't I have pretended to join Zhao like Iroh?" I muttered to myself. Zuko whirled around.

"That is _not_ an option," he snarled, sounding ten times angrier. "Who knows what Zhao would have done to you? It's not safe, and I won't allow it!" I stepped back, startled by his outburst.

"Why are you so concerned about me all of a sudden?" I asked suspiciously. Zuko gave a noncommittal grunt and turned away. Suddenly, my face split into a wide smile.

"Aww," I cooed, stepping closer. "You _care_ about me, don't you?" Zuko scoffed, not meeting my eye. I clapped my hands together in glee. "Are we _friends_ now, Prince Zuko?" I said teasingly. His face was covered by the mask, so I couldn't see the red flush creeping up his cheeks.

"Shut up," Zuko hissed again as we reached the front of the line. We gave the names of the soldiers we'd stolen the uniforms from and left tied up in a shed somewhere, and the warden admitted us onto the ship. We received our cabin assignments and headed below deck.

"So far, so good," I murmured. We turned the corner, and I froze as I saw someone heading directly towards us. Thankfully, it was just Iroh.

"Our plan is working perfectly," Iroh said in a low voice as he passed in between us, not making eye contact. "Zhao doesn't suspect a thing."

Zuko removed his mask. "You didn't have to do this."

"No nephew of mine is going to stow away on a ship without some backup," Iroh said. "And I wasn't about to leave Princess Kioni out on her own either."

"Thank you, Iroh," I said, trying to express the gratitude I felt. A door ahead of us opened and Iroh stiffened.

"Someone's coming!" he hissed. Zuko and I put our masks back on. "Stay hidden until we get to the North Pole and the Avatar will be yours. Good luck."

As we parted ways, my head was spinning with Iroh's last words. _The Avatar will be yours._ With all that had happened in the last few days, I had almost completely forgotten the situation.

Zuko was the bad guy. He was Fire Nation. He was trying to capture Aang, my friend, in order to turn him over to his father and take over the world. And Iroh, as kind as he had been to me, was still Fire Nation.

But as much as I tried to tell myself that, I still didn't fully believe it. I didn't believe Iroh was evil. Fire Nation or not, he had shown me incredible kindness and wisdom. And even Zuko - angry, hot tempered, confused Zuko - I didn't believe he was evil either.

As I lay on my bunk bed in that night, masquerading as a Fire Nation soldier, with Zuko snoring softly in the bunk below me, I saw myself faced with what seemed like an inevitable situation. I saw myself, standing in the middle, with Zuko on one side of me and Aang on the other.

The scary part was, I had no idea which side I would choose.

* * *

**Phew, this was a long chapter! But then again, a lot happened.**

**Only two more chapters in Book One! :O **

**I would really love it if you guys reviewed; it doesn't take that long (10 seconds, that's it!) and it completely makes my day and lets me know this story is worth continuing. **

**Again, thank you to those who have showed their support. :) **

**Next up: Siege of the North (Part 1)**


	8. The Siege of the North Part 1

"Sooo... do we have a plan?"

Stowing away on Admiral's Zhao's ship was about as exciting as being a prisoner on Prince Zuko's ship. Since I couldn't even attend the training sessions (apparently, most Fire Nation soldiers are firebenders - imagine that!) I spent most of my time holed up in my room, sleeping, thinking, or reading books on Fire Nation war.

The books were horrifying and fascinating at the same time. It was incredible how the Fire Nation seemed to think they were doing a favor to the world by extending their "gifts", as they called it. It made me wonder how many Fire Nation citizens actually knew the extent of the war, or what their beloved country was capable of.

"A what?" Zuko asked from below me. I rolled over to stick my head over the side of the top bunk and look at him.

"A plan," I repeated. "You know, for when we get to the North Pole?" Zuko blinked once, seemingly at a loss for words.

"Of course I have a plan!" he said irritably after a second. A few seconds of silence went by.

"... you're thinking of one right now, aren't you?" I asked, smirking. Zuko glared at me, but didn't deny it.

"The plan is, we get to the North Pole, get off the ship, and find the Avatar," Zuko said finally.

"No offense, but that is the worst plan I have ever heard," I scoffed, rolling back over.

"I'm working on it!" Zuko replied crossly.

"You know, I'm surprised I'm even allowed to go on this top secret mission," I said teasingly. "Aren't you afraid I'll sabotage your plans?"

"Trust me, I've thought of that," Zuko grumbled. "But it's not like I can leave you here."

"Why not?" I asked, my voice suddenly growing vulnerable. It was a question that had been on my a lot these past few days. Why wouldn't Zuko just leave me here, to the mercy of Zhao? What did I matter to him, besides as a prisoner?

It was few seconds before Zuko answered. "It's not safe for you here," he said softly. "I don't want you getting hurt." I bit my lip, oddly touched by his concern.

"Plus, you are _my_ prisoner," he added, but I could hear a hint of humor in his voice. "I'm not about to give you up so easily." I groaned, flopping back down on the bed as Zuko chuckled quietly.

* * *

I don't know what I expected of the battle. I knew the war against the Fire Nation had been raging for a hundred years, but I had nveer witnessed the terror of battle firsthand. Omashu was always a safe stronghold, deep enough into the Earth Kingdom to have withstood the clutches of the Fire Nation.

When the ship rocked with the force of hurling the first catapult, I sat up in my bed. "What was that?" I cried.

"Cannonball," Zuko muttered from below me. I lay back down and tried to fall back asleep, but I couldn't. As quietly as I could, I slipped down from the bed and crept towards the door, putting on my uniform and mask along the way.

"Where are you going?" Zuko asked suspiciously, sitting up also. "Kioni! Kioni, get back here!"

I ignored him as walked out of the room and towards the deck. My eyes widened with shock and horror at what I saw. What once must have been a beautiful ice and snow fortress was now being destroyed by fireballs. The pristine white was marred with dusty gray soot and smoke wafted from gaping holes in the ice.

"Kioni, get back down!" Zuko hissed, coming up behind me. "We _can't_ be found!"

"How can they do this?" I asked, ignoring his words. "There are people living there, families, children. How can they so callously destroy people's homes like this?" Zuko grew silent.

"The Fire Nation doesn't often care who or what it destroys to get what it wants," he said finally, his voice somber. The way he spoke, for a second, it seemed like he held as much hatred for the Fire Nation as I did.

"Come on," Zuko said, after a few moments, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Let's get back. We leave tonight." I turned and followed him, casting one last sad glance at the destruction behind me.

Late that night, once the anchors had been lowered and everyone had gone to bed, Zuko and I prepared our departure. I grabbed my butterfly swords, the only thing that remained from the explosion, and strapped them to my sides. We crept down the halls until we reached the room where Iroh had left a small, two person boat waiting for us.

As Zuko fiddled with the ropes, the doors opened and Iroh walked in. "If you are fishing for an octopus, my nephew, you need a tightly woven net, or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape." My brow furrowed. Was he talking about the Avatar?

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle," Zuko said, sounding exasperated.

"I'm sorry, I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son..." Iroh said, walking forward.

"Uncle, you don't need to say it," Zuko closed his eyes, looking pained.

"I think of you as my own," Iroh finished. Zuko turned to face him.

"I know, Uncle," he said. "We'll meet again." Zuko bowed slightly, and Iroh rushed forward to hug him. "After I have the Avatar." Zuko unwound his Uncle's arms and climbed into the boat.

Iroh turned to me. My lip quivered slightly as I rushed forward to hug him tightly. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged him back. "Take care of my nephew," Iroh whispered into my ear.

"I will," I promised. "Thank you for everything, General Iroh." I stepped back, bowing to him. Iroh bowed back and watched as I climbed into the boat next to Zuko, who was watching me with an odd expression.

"Remember your breath of fire," Iroh told his nephew as Zuko lowered the ropes. "It could save your life out there."

"I will," Zuko answered as we slipped down the side of the boat.

"And put your hood up! Keep your ears warm!" Iroh called. "Look out for each other!"

"We'll be fine!" Zuko and I called up simultaneously. The boat finally hit the water and we sailed away. I waved to Iroh one last time as we disappeared from sight.

Saying goodbye to Iroh made me realize how dangerous this mission actually was. It was just Zuko and I, in a frozen wasteland, where my bending was essentially useless.

We rowed towards the Northern Water Tribe in silence. Despite the many layers I had on, the arctic air was still frigid. As we approached the wall, ducking behind ice bergs to remain hidden, I could see the destruction the Fire Nation had caused close up.

Finally, we docked on a snowbank and scrambled up the hill, looking for an entrance. I peeked out from behind an iceberg and quickly retreated when I saw guards heavily patrolling the wall.

"There are guards everywhere," I told Zuko. "How are we going to get in?" Zuko looked around, before finally spotting a group of turtle seals sliding into an open hole in the ice.

"There!" he pointed, approaching the ice hole. "Where are they going?" I peered into the water, but couldn't see anything in the dark.

"They're coming up from air somewhere," Zuko said. He stared into the depths of the water for a second before removing the cloth covering his face. I stepped back, startled, as I realized what he was about to do.

"You have got to be kidding me," I muttered as Zuko leapt into the water. That water looked absolutely _freezing._ "Stupid, idiotic, reckless firebenders!" I growled angrily as I, too, tore off my mouth covering and jumped in after him.

I was right. That water was the coldest thing I'd ever felt in my entire life. It chilled me to the core, making it impossible to think, to do anything except single-mindedly swim after Zuko. We swam down tunnels made out of ice, following a few turtle seals ahead of us. After about five minutes, I saw a light shining above. Almost crying with relief, I swam upwards with Zuko.

We broke the surface, gasping, and I wrenched myself out of the water after Zuko, collapsing on the ice and breathing heavily. The water had soaked me to the bone and I was shivering violently. Zuko turned away from me, expelling fire from his mouth, and I wished in that moment, that I too, was a firebender.

Feeling my intense shaking, Zuko turned back to face me and quickly pulled me close to his chest. I was startled, unsure of why he was hugging me. As I felt the feeling creep back into my hands and feet, I realized he was sharing his incredible body heat. We lay like that for a while, his arms around me, as I slowly thawed out. My heart was pounding the entire time, and I could feel every inch of myself that was pressed up against Zuko's body. Finally, I took a last shuddering breath and untangled myself. We both stood up, Zuko watching me cautiously.

"Thank you," I said, my voice sounding hoarse. He ignored me, turning away. I frowned.

"Be quiet!" Zuko shouted to the turtle seals who were lowing in the ice cave. They quickly fell silent. I followed him to the waterfall in the center of the ice cave, wondering what had suddenly made Zuko as cold as our surroundings. He glanced up the waterfall before diving in again.

I sighed deeply before jumping in after him. _Here we go again._ We scaled the waterfall underwater, which proved to be incredibly difficult, since we were forced to climb against the current. I quickly kicked my way to surface, taking deep gasping breaths to get oxygen back into my lungs.

Zuko lowered his head in the water, scanning for a way to enter the tribe's inner walls. He pointed to a small chasm, and we dove underwater and swam through the tunnels once more.

After about two minutes of swimming, I saw a bright blue light up ahead. Feeling relieved, I swam towards it, only to feel my hands come in contact with solid ice. I let out my breath, unable to hold it in, and panic shot through me. Zuko concentrated hard, pressing his hands against the surface. His hands glowed red, melting the ice.

My breath was quickly running out. I didn't know how much longer I could hold it. I felt my lungs closing in as finally, Zuko broke through the ice. He scrambled up and extended a hand to pull me out of the water. We collapsed in what seemed like a drainage tunnel inside the Northern Water Tribe, panting heavily.

I was completely exhausted, drenched, and freezing. I shivered uncontrollably as I lay next to Zuko in the circular tunnel, trying to regain my breath. Hoping for some warmth, I scooted closer to Zuko again, sighing when he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him again.

"We're here," he whispered. "We're inside the Northern Water Tribe."

I closed my eyes, soaking up as much of Zuko's warmth as I could. I was so cold, I could barely think. I shakily wrapped my arms around Zuko's waist and cuddled closer to him. I felt him stiffen, but the heat emanating from him was so comforting that I didn't think twice about it.

"Y-yeah," I answered, my teeth chattering. "Let's j-just rest, for now, okay?"

He didn't answer me, instead gazing out at the vast ice city.

* * *

Zuko couldn't sleep.

He wasn't cold; being a firebender meant that his body temperature was naturally higher than most people. He stared despondently at the frozen city sprawled out in front of him.

_The Avatar is within these walls_.

The Avatar. The answer to all his problems. Zuko sighed deeply, closing his eyes and allowing himself to picture the best, something he had not done in a while. He saw himself being welcomed back into the Fire Nation, dressed in royal robes and a crown piece in his hair. He saw his father taking his hand and raising it above his head in front of all the royal city, who applauded and cheered for their returned prince. He pictured a girl with ivory skin, jet black hair, sharp amber eyes and an even sharper smile whom he had not seen in a while.

It was everything he had ever wanted. And it was all within his reach. So why did he feel so unsure?

Nothing could possibly stand in his way anymore.

A weight on his chest shifted slightly, jarring Zuko out of his daydream. He glanced down at the sleeping girl in his arms. Kioni was breathing softly, her breath coming out in soft puffs that were visible in the frigid air. Her thin arms clutched the front of his shirt and her soft brown hair spilled across his shoulders.

Although he wasn't cold to begin with, Zuko suddenly felt warmer.

_Zuko, what are you doing?_ A vicious little voice that sounded a lot like his little sister suddenly entered his mind. _She's from the Earth Kindgom. She's your prisoner. She's common filth._

"Shut up, Azula," he muttered. Zuko blinked once. He was talking to his imaginary sister. Clearly the cold temperatures were affecting him more than he thought.

_What were you planning to do with her anyway?_ The voice continued, malicious and persistent. _Do you think she'll just sit idly by while you attempt to capture the Avatar? No, Zuko. She is an obstacle. A liability. A threat._

With growing dread, Zuko saw the truth in his subconscious' words. Kioni was the only thing standing in his way from his honor, his glory, his throne, his family. He had to get home, he couldn't spend another day wandering around, desperately searching for the Avatar. He was coming to the end of his rope, he could feel the hope he held slowly slipping away, and he had to capture the Avatar and return home before he spiraled out of control completely. Despite what friendliness he might have been beginning to feel towards the girl, she had to go. She was a flaw, and his plan had to be flawless.

Silently, Zuko unwound her arms from around him and dropped down onto the street. He cast one last glance at her sleeping form, then closed his eyes and walked away quickly.

He was doing the right thing.

* * *

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the cold.

I hadn't even realized I'd fallen asleep. It was still dark outside, so I must not have been out for long. "Zuko," I murmured, rolling over and trying to get closer to his warmth. My fingers came in contact with snow. I sat up suddenly, all traces of drowsiness vanished.

Zuko was gone.

"Agni, Koh, and Hei Bai!" I cursed, unable to believe it. Had he _really_ gone after the Avatar now? I growled, feeling angry and hurt that he had just abandoned me. Jumping down from the mouth of the tunnel, I looked around for any indication of where Zuko had gone. I spotted a set of footprints leading to the heart of the city.

Moving quickly and quietly, I followed the footsteps to a small, circular door. I was immediately hit with a blast of warm air as I opened the door. Entering the room, I gasped. Inside was a wooden bridge leading to a gorgeous island with a pond in the center of it. And best of all, _earth._

I quickly got over the beauty of the island though, as I saw the battle going on. I saw Zuko pinned against the wall in a prison of ice as Katara walked towards Aang, who was sitting cross-legged in front of the pond, with his eyes and tattoos glowing in unearthly blue.

_He's in the Spirit World,_ I realized.

Then, the sun slowly illuminated the island. It was daybreak. I watched in shock and horror as Zuko opened his eyes and melted himself out of his ice prison. He shot a powerful blast of fire at Katara's back.

"No!" I cried, dashing towards the island as Katara whirled around to block the attack. She was too late, and her water was no match for Zuko's fire. She flew into the side of a tree and crumpled at the bottom.

"You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun," he said menacingly, one hand on Aang's collar.

"Zuko!" I shouted as he turned to leave. He whirled around to face me, his expression of shock quickly shifting into one of anger. I held my hands up, ready to fight.

"You can't take him, Zuko," I said stonily. "It's not safe! He's in the Spirit World, his body can't be moved or he won't be able to come back."

"Too bad," Zuko growled, looking more frightening than ever. "He's coming with me."

"I can't let you do this," I told him. Shifting my feet, I caused the earth to shift, sending Zuko stumbling away from Aang. As he regained his balance, he looked directly at me. My breath caught in my throat as I saw the anger in his eyes.

"Rragh!" he growled, leaping into the air and shooting twin fire blasts at me, which I blocked with a wall of stone. I glided around the tree on the dirt, heading towards Aang, but three more blasts of fire forced me to leap out of the way, landing in a crouched position.

Gritting my teeth, I tried to entrap him in quicksand again, but he propelled himself out of the way with jets of fire, then swung his arms around to send those flames towards me. I raised my arms quickly to thrust a stone at him, cutting through the fire, but he blasted the rock apart with a powerful flame.

"Don't do this, Zuko!" I pleaded with him, dodging more flames. "You think you need to capture the Avatar to regain your honor, but bringing the Avatar back won't change anything! You can change your own destiny now!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" he roared, his face twisted with rage. "Filthy earth peasant! You know nothing of me!" Anger and hurt shot through me as I heard him shout slurs at me. It was like the last month never even happened; suddenly, we were back to our first meeting.

"You're nothing but a spoiled brat!" I shouted back, stamping my feet and causing spiked boulders to erupt around Zuko. He jumped into the air and leapt from boulder to boulder, dodging the stones I hurled at him. "You don't care about anyone but yourself!" My voice caught in my throat, and to my horror, I felt tears stinging my eyes.

"What, you thought I cared for _you?_" Zuko taunted, letting out a cold, cruel laugh that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. "You are nothing but a prisoner. You are completely at my mercy! I could have you imprisoned, sold, or thrown in prison whenever I felt like it!" _  
_

Letting out a cry of anger, I swept my arms forward and sent a line of stone spiked racing towards him. He jumped out of the way and blasted a series of quick fireballs at me. I catapulted myself upwards on a pillar of stone, dodging them easily. I somersaulted in the air, touching down on both feet and summoned a legion of rocks around me. Fueled by newfound hurt and rage, I hurled rock after rock at Zuko as he tried to blast them apart with his flames.

"Me? At _your_ mercy?" I laughed loudly, sounding almost maniacal. "Oh, thats rich! If only you knew _Prince Zuko_," I sneered, putting as much contempt into his title as I could. "You were seriously foolish enough to believe that I was _actually_ your prisoner!"

Zuko faltered, causing one of my stones to slam into him and send him stumbling onto the ground.

"That's right," I smirked, with a cruel triumph. _Stop talking,_ the rational voice in my head warned me, but I was far too angry to listen to it. "Why do you think I came with you so easily that first night? Why do you think I never escaped, when I could have done so any number of times? I _gave myself up_ as your prisoner so I could get behind enemy lines. I've been _spying_ on you this entire time, and you never even realized it!"

Part of me realized how stupid I was, blowing my cover, but I was too filled with anger and betrayal to care.

Zuko stared at me, the shock in his eyes being replaced by a fury and hatred like I had never seen before. My confidence wavered as he got shakily to his feet; he wasn't shaking with fatigue. He was shaking with anger.

I held my hands up, prepared to defend myself. But Zuko let out a monstrous roar and thrust his hands out, expelling a tremendous, destructive jet of fire. I gasped, quickly summoning a slab of stone, but his blast was too powerful. The force of the blow sent me flying through the air.

I landed hard, with a gigantic splash, in the middle of the water. I tumbled down the bottom, clenching my eyes shut and blowing bubbles through my noise. Desperately, I kicked upwards and broke the surface gasping for air.

Zuko's final blast of fire had knocked the wind out of me, so I lay on my back for a few seconds trying to regain my breath. I looked towards the island and my heart sink in my chest. Zuko and Aang were nowhere to be found.

Disappointed, dejected and starting to realize what I had just done, I started swimming towards the island. I saw Katara shakily get to her feet. "Aang!" she cried, looking around. I dragged myself onto the island, trying to regain my breath. Hearing the noise, Katara whirled around and her jaw dropped open when she saw me.

"Kioni?!" she exclaimed, looking utterly bewildered. "What... how... when did you get here?"

"After Zuko knocked you out," I panted, struggling to get up. Katara rushed over and pulled me to my feet. "I'm sorry, Katara, I tried to stop him, but..." I trailed off, looking back on what I had said and cringing.

How stupid had I been? I'd blown my cover, destroyed any chance of me being able to continue my mission, and why? Because I'd gone and gotten my poor little feelings hurt. Feeling angry at Zuko and myself, I kicked a rock.

Just then, there was a bellow and Appa landed in the middle of the clearing with Sokka and another white-haired water tribe girl on his back. "What happened?" Sokka asked, scrambling off Appa. "Where's Zuko? Kioni!?" He did a double take when he saw me. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll explain later," I said, trying to avoid the topic.

"Zuko took Aang!" Katara cried, sounding hysterical. "He took him right out from under me!" We all turned to look at Momo, who was sitting by the pond, gazing sadly into it, his ears drooping.

"Where did they go?" Sokka wondered.

* * *

**I'm so sorry for the huge gap in updates! I started my junior year of high school a few weeks ago, and it's really been kicking my butt. :/ **

**Updates might not come as frequently now, but I'll try my best to get them up quickly. **

**Of course, reviews might be an incentive to update more quickly. ;) **

**Hope you guys haven't lost interest already! The story is just getting good.**


	9. The Siege of the North Part 2

"I can't believe I lost him," Katara moaned, dropping to her knees.

"It's not your fault, Katara," I said, crouching down next to her. "I tried to stop Zuko as well, and failed."

"You guys did everything you could," Sokka assured us. "And now we need to do everything we can to get him back. Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him. Aang's gonna be fine."

Katara looked at her brother, her eyes filled with tears. I felt like crying myself. All the anger and fury that fueled my fighting while I was battling Zuko had disappeared, leaving me feeling hurt and tired. I took a deep breath, pushing my emotions back. The important thing right now was finding the Avatar.

"Kioni, your head!" Katara gasped, horrified, pointing to my forehead. I reached up and touched the wound, pulling my hand down to see blood. The wound must have reopened during the battle.

"Did Zuko do that?" Sokka asked, his voice growing angry.

"No, no!" I said. "No, that wasn't Zuko. That happened um... earlier," I finished vaguely, taking in their suspicious faces.

"You have quite a bit of explaining to do once we find Aang," Sokka said. I gave him a sheepish look.

"Here, let me fix that for you," Katara offered. She bended some water out of the pond and pressed it to my wound. Miraculously, I felt instantly better. The would closed up and faded into a soft, thin pink scar, and the water seemed to revitalize my body and my spirit. I felt my chi flowing more clearly.

"Wow, that water is something," I breathed, getting up and stretching my limbs. "I feel amazing!"

"It's because it has special healing properties," the other water tribe girl spoke in a soft voice. "Spirit Oasis water is almost magical."

"Oh, right, introductions!" Sokka cried, gesturing to the girl. "Kioni, this is Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe. Yue, this is Princess Kioni of Omashu in the Earth Kingdom."

"Another princess, huh?" I smiled, stepping forward and shaking her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Not to break up the party or anything," Katara said, sounding slightly annoyed. "But we should get going."

"Right, sorry," I apologized, climbing on Appa's back. We all looked down at Momo, who was still gazing sadly into the pond.

"It's all right," Katara said. "You stay here, Momo, in case Aang comes back,"

"Yip yip!" Sokka said, and Appa rose into the air and out of the oasis. Outside of the safe haven, snow was coming down in heavy flurries. The wind was cold and biting, and it was hard to see very far ahead. It was literally a frozen wasteland.

"There!" Katara pointed to a small trail in the snow. "Follow that trail!"

We traced the trail for about twenty minutes when suddenly, a huge chasm in the ice appeared. "That's not natural," Sokka said, looking grim. We touched down and Sokka slid off Appa, examining the area.

"I don't see anyone," I murmured, feeling worried. The storm was getting worse. How was it possible Zuko and Aang even survived this far?

Sokka turned back to face us, shaking his head. I felt Katara slump next to me and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll find them," I whispered, gazing out over the tundra.

_Please be okay._

"Don't worry," Yue told Katara as we kept flying. "Prince Zuko can't be getting too far in this weather."

"I'm not worried they'll get away in the blizzard," Katara said. "I'm worried that they won't."

"They're not going to die in this blizzard," Sokka said determinedly. "If we know anything, it's that Zuko never gives up. They'll survive, and we'll find them."

"It'll be okay, Katara," I told her. "Sokka's right. Zuko has a lot of fight and spirit in him." I said the last part quietly, almost to myself.

"What's going on with you and Prince Zuko anyway?" Sokka asked, sounding suspicous.

"W-What do you mean?" I stammered, feeling my face warm.

"I mean, whenever he shows up, you're always with him!" Sokka turned around to look at me distrustfully. I hung my head. How was I suppose to explain this?

"I was kind of his prisoner," I admitted. Katara gasped next to me.

"Why didn't you let us know?" she asked. "We could have rescued you!"

"It's not quite that simple," I said uneasily. "It's kind of a long story. I promise, I will explain everything once we get out of here." Katara and Sokka nodded, not looking convinced, but they had to be satisfied with my feeble explanation for now.

It started to get dark, and it seemed like we were no closer to finding Aang and Zuko. "Look!" Katara cried suddenly, pointing overhead. An unearthly blue flash streaked across the sky, the same color that Aang's eyes and tattoos glowed when he was in the Spirit World. "That's gotta be Aang!"

Sokka steered Appa in the direction of the flash, and we sped across the tundra, following the blue streak. "The cave!" I shouted, pointing to a small rock shelter which was being illuminated. As Sokka prepared Appa for landing, I saw a figure tumble out of the cave into the snow.

It was Aang! He appeared to be tied up, and was attempting to crawl away. My fists and heart clenched as Zuko emerged from the cave and grabbed him by the collar.

"Appa!" Aang cried, catching sight of us. Appa landed with a tremendous thump and Katara slid off. I made to follow her, but Yue held me back.

"I think this is her fight," she said in her quiet, wise voice. I nodded. Fighting Zuko without my bending probably wasn't the wisest idea anyway. I wasn't in the greatest emotional shape anyway.

"Here for a rematch?" Zuko asked her angrily. I sunk lower in my seat. For some reason, I didn't want him to see me. Seeing him dredged up uncomfortable feelings, and now was the time to focus.

"Trust me, Zuko," Katara said, preparing to fight. "It's not going to be much of a match." As Zuko shot a blast of fire at her, she summoned some snow to block it, then rose him up on a pillar of ice and collapsed it, knocking the fire prince out.

I stared open mouthed. "Waterbenders have extraordinary power during the full moon," Yue said, sounding amused by my awe. Sokka slid down and untied Aang's bindings.

"This is some quality rope!" he remarked.

"We have to get to the oasis!" Aang cried, looking panicked. "The spirits are in trouble." He and Sokka quickly leapt on to Appa, and Aang took the reins. "Oh, hi Kioni," he greeted me, not looking at all surprised to see me there.

As we prepared to take off, I glanced at Zuko's fallen form, lying in the snow. Were they just going to... leave him there? My heart wrenched when I thought of what would happen.

"We can't just leave him there," I said, not knowing why I was defending him. Katara and Sokka turned to give me incredulous looks.

"The guy held you prisoner, and you want to help him?" Katara asked me. I flushed slightly, looking down.

"No, she's right," Aang agreed, looking up at me. "If we leave him, he'll die." Aang floated down and pulled Zuko's body out of the snow, dragging him towards Appa.

"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense," Sokka said sarcastically as Aang laid Zuko on the saddle beside me. "Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us!"

Aang took hold of Appa's reins and started flying us back towards the oasis. I tried my hardest to ignore Zuko's unconscious form next to me. Just because I didn't want him to die doesn't mean I wanted anything more to do with him.

We were flying back to the oasis as fast as Appa could go. Aang looked intensely worried. Suddenly, to everyone's horror, the moon turned an eerie red color, bathing everything in sinister red light.

"What's happening?" I asked, scared. Yue groaned, holding her head as if she had a terrible headache.

"Are you okay?" Sokka asked her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I feel faint," she replied, sounding pained.

"I feel it too," Aang said, putting a hand on his forehead as well. "The moon spirit is in trouble."

"I owe the moon spirit my life," Yue said.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked. Sokka looked at her with such concern and tenderness, I was quickly beginning to suspect that the two were more than friends.

"When I was born, I was very sick and very weak," Yue told us. "Most babies cry when they're born, but I was born as if I were asleep, my eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white. I opened my eyes and began to cry, and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue, for the moon."

"That's incredible," Katara whispered.

We landed in the oasis to behold a terrifying sight. Zhao was standing in front of the pond, holding a bag in which something was struggling furiously. "The koi fish!" Sokka cried.

"... Zhao the invincible!" the admiral declared, not noticing our presence. Suddenly, Momo flew at him in a rage as we slid off and prepared for battle. "Get it off!" he cried as his guards attempted to catch the little lemur. Momo flew away and landed on Aang's outstretched arm.

Aang stood with his staff outstreched, Sokka, Katara and I behind him in offensive positions, ready to fight. "Don't bother," Zhao snarled lifting his fist to the bag.

"Zhao, don't!" Aang cried, dropping his staff. We all relaxed and held up our hands, surrendering.

"It's my destiny," Zhao said, a mad gleam in his eye. "To destroy the moon and the water tribe."

"Destroying the moon won't hurt just the water tribe," Aang said. "It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world!" Zhao's face was growing uncertain.

"He's right, Zhao," another voice came. We all whirled around to see Iroh standing behind us.

"General Iroh," Zhao said smoothly. "Why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?"

"I'm no traitor, Zhao," Iroh said, lifting his hood. "The Fire Nation needs the moon, too. We all depend on the balance." Zhao still didn't look convinced. "Whatever you do that spirit, I'll unleash on you tenfold! Let it go, now!" Iroh threatened, sounding angrier than I'd ever heard him.

Zhao gritted his teeth, before his face crumpled into resignation. We watched closely as he lowered himself and released the white koi back into the pond. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding when the red glow disappeared and the moon returned to its normal state.

But I'd relaxed too soon.

Zhao's face contorted into one of rage and he stepped back, letting out a roar as he slashed at the pond with fire. I gasped as the fire spread across the pond. As the fire disappeared, the moon faded completely from view.

Breaking the horrified silence, Iroh leapt forward and began attacking Zhao. He easily eliminated Zhao's guards, but Zhao turned and ran out of the oasis. The five of us rushed towards the pond.

Iroh lifted the white koi out of the pond. A large, black burn covered half its body. "There's no hope now," Yue said tearfully. I heard a commotion near the door, and looked up to see a body disappear out of the porthole.

"Prince Zuko's gone!" Katara cried. Sure enough, all that remained on Appa's saddle was a pile of ropes.

"You guys stay here," I said, narrowing my eyes. "You need to help the moon spirit. I'll find Zuko." Before anyone could stop me, I unsheathed my swords and ran out of the oasis, following Zuko. I trailed him for a few blocks, trying to find the optimal moment to attack. He had the bending advantage, but if I could surprise him, I might be able to gain the upper hand.

I was silently following him from behind, trying not to make my presence known, when suddenly everything became bathed in holy blue light. I paused, my jaw dropping when I saw a massive koi spirit monster making its way across the tribe. I looked closely, seeing that Aang was in the center of the spirit, manipulating it to destroy Fire Nation soldiers.

_Yeah! Go Aang!_ I thought, feeling hope rise in my chest. With the ocean spirit and the Avatar against them, the Fire Nation didn't stand a chance.

Fiery orange illuminated the path ahead of me and caught my attention. I dashed around a corner to see Zuko fly at Admiral Zhao, attacking him with vicious blasts of fire.

"You tried to have me killed!" Zuko yelled.

"Yes, I did," Zhao narrowed his eyes. "You and your little girlfriend, you're the Blue and Green Spirits - enemies of the Fire Nation! You freed the Avatar!"

"I had no choice," Zuko replied stonily.

"Where is she now, anyway, hmm?" Zhao sneered, looking around. I shrank further behind my corner.

Zuko faltered, barely missing the blast of fire Zhao shot at him. "Ooh, not here, I see?" Zhao taunted, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "I understand. Young love can be _so_ difficult. It's a shame, really. I had a _special_ punishment planned for her." His lips curled upwards in a hungry sneer that sent a shudder through my body.

"You will _never_ touch her." Zuko growled furiously, blasting twin jets of fire at him. Zhao cut through them easily, straightening and removing his robe.

Zhao shot a powerful jet of fire directly at Zuko, but he dodged out of the way. The two engaged in battle, Zhao shooting flames at Zuko while he dodged and retaliated with his own flames.

They fought viciously, ducking and dodging, blasting and shooting, but neither seemed to have the upper hand, until suddenly Zhao knocked Zuko's feet out from underneath him. With a cry, Zuko somersaulted forward and landed hard on his back. I gasped involuntarily.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure," Zhao said menacingly as he approached Zuko's fallen form. "Your disgrace. Then at least, you could have lived." Zhao raised his hand to strike Zuko down.

That's when the snowball flew into the back of his head, causing him to stumble.

Zhao whirled around and caught sight of me, standing atop the snowbank with both my butterfly swords drawn. Zuko's eyes widened in shock.

"Well, if it isn't the Earth Kingdom girl," Zhao sneered. "Here to save your boyfriend?"

"More like here to kick your butt," I snarled. I rushed forward, drawing my swords behind me as I charged him. Zhao's eyes narrowed and he attacked me with fire, but I spun, easily deflecting the flames on my blades. I swung at Zhao's chest, but he leaned back and ducked under my arm, catching his foot against mine in an attempt to trip me. I pressed my foot against his ankle and pushed off, flipping and catching his chin with my foot.

Zhao stumbled backwards as I regained my footing and he faced me with fury in his eyes. Whipping his hands out, he created two blades of fire nearly identical to mine. The swords were long, thin, sharp wisps of fire that crackled with hatred and evil. Narrowing my eyes, I rushed forward again.

We engaged in a deadly swordfight, his fire swords clashing against my metal ones with a flurry of sparks. I could feel the heat from the blades envelop the air and melt the snow beneath our feet. As he swung at my head, I blocked with one sword and ducked, twisting around his side. I whirled around and swung my blades up in a cross just in time to avoid him slashing at my face.

We stood face to face, our swords pressing against each other and drawn above our heads, panting heavily. The air was becoming unbearably thick with smoke. My head was spinning, and Zhao's sheer strength was giving him the upper hand. I could feel my knees shaking and I knew my legs would give out any second, and it would all be over.

A blast of fire knocked Zhao off his feet, and with a yell, he tumbled over the edge of the snow bridge. I collapsed to my knees and turned to see Zuko standing a few feet away, his arm outstretched.

Zuko turned to look at me, and our eyes met for a brief moment. A look of mutual hurt and understanding passed through us. Zuko's eyes narrowed and he ran after Zhao, leaping down with a yell.

I dragged myself over to the edge of the bridge and watched Zuko shoot flame after flame at Zhao. Zhao seemed to be defending more than striking back, sticking up his hands to protect himself from Zuko's blasts. Suddenly, the street was bathed in soft, silver light. I looked up in awe to see the moon returned to the sky.

Not noticing the moon, Zuko let out a furious roar and shot a powerful blast at Zhao, one that knocked him off his feet and sent him sprawling in the snow. As Zhao lifted his head from the snowbank, he caught sight of the moon. "It can't be!" he gasped in horror.

The eerie blue water I had seen before materialized under the bridge and rose up, it's tendril like claws creeping over the bridge. Zuko looked up in shock and somersaulted out of the way as the claws closed in on Zhao, grabbing him and lifting him out of the air like a toy doll.

Zhao struggled furiously. I saw confliction pass over Zuko's face before he rushed to the edge of the bridge and held his hand out. "Take my hand!" he called to Zhao. _He cannot be serious,_ I thought incredulously. Zuko was trying to _save_ that creep?

Zhao extended his hand for one moment before taking in the earnest prince's look and retreating, a look of proud stubbornness on his face. I watched silently as Zhao sank into the water.

Zuko looked down into the channel, but the Fire Nation general was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, Zuko whirled around and glanced upwards, meeting my eyes again. We stared at each other for a long moment, but I made no move to attack him. Zuko's lips thinned and turned on his heel and ran into the darkness.

I watched him go.

* * *

"Kioni!" Katara cried, rushing forward to embrace me as I stumbled into the main square. The sun was shining bright in the sky now, and Aang and Sokka stood next to Appa with two older waterbenders by their side. "We were so worried!"

"What happened to Zuko?" Sokka asked me.

"He... he got away," I said evasively. My legs trembled beneath me and my head was pounding terribly. "How... how did the moon come back? Where's Yue?"

Sokka turned away from me, his jaw clenching. My eyes widened as I realized what must have happened. The injured moon spirit, Yue's story, and now her absence...

"Sokka, I'm so sorry," I whispered softly.

"Don't be," Sokka smiled at me sadly. "It had to be done." Katara lay a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. I felt a hand on my own arm and turned to see Aang looking at me.

To my surprise, he launched himself into my arms, hugging me tightly. "I'm glad you're okay," he said, his arms wrapped around my waist. I hugged him back, noticing how small he actually was. It was easy to forget the all powerful Avatar was just a twelve year old kid.

"Thanks, Aang," I smiled. He pulled away and gazed at me with sadness and wisdom in his big gray eyes. "That was some pretty slick Avatar state action you did there." Aang chuckled, taking my hand and leading me to where Katara and Sokka were standing.

"Kioni, I don't know what you've been through these past few months," Aang said, turning to face me again. Sokka and Katara were staring at me too, and I felt strangely uncomfortable, like I was under inspection. "I saw a few things in the Spirit World... but Katara told me you've been held prisoner by Zuko."

I looked down. "I..." I began, unable to form the correct words. How would I explain this?

"You don't have to explain this all now," Aang told me. "But we were wondering... if you'd like to join us? I do need an earthbending teacher, and this would mean we wouldn't have to travel all the way to Omashu."

My heart jumped in my chest. "No!" I said quickly. Aang's eyes widened and he opened his mouth. "No, I don't mean _no_, I'd love to teach you but... you shouldn't learn from me." I hung my head. "I'm no earthbending master. I've made a lot of mistakes, especially these past few months. You should learn from Bumi. And... and I need to go to Omashu anyway."

I didn't know what I was going to do now. I'd failed my mission, blown my cover, and Koh knows where Zuko was or what he was doing right now. The only solution I could see was to go home.

_Home._ It had been so long.

"But you'll come with us?" Katara asked hopefully. The corners of my mouth quirked upwards.

"I'll come with you," I agreed. The three let out a cheer and enveloped me in a group hug. I hugged them back, laughing and feeling my spirits lift slightly.

Maybe things would be okay after all.

* * *

A little ways away, at the bottom of the mighty fortress of the Northern Water Tribe, a small raft sailed through the icy waters. Iroh glanced at his nephew, who was gazing despondently at the icebergs and Fire Nation wreckage as they floated past. Zuko had shown up silent and angry, with no Avatar, and no Kioni. When he'd asked about her disappearance Iroh received nothing but a glare in return, though the flash of pain that passed through Zuko's eyes told Iroh almost as much as his nephew's silence did.

"I am surprised, Prince Zuko," Iroh said cautiously, tightening the sail on their meager vessel. "Surprised that you are not, at this moment, trying to capture the Avatar."

"I'm tired," Zuko replied, his voice worn with more pain and exhaustion that a boy his age should have to endure. Iroh's heart constricted as he looked at his nephew's weary and scarred face.

"Then you should rest," Iroh said, placing a hand on the prince's shoulder. "A man needs his rest."

Zuko closed his eyes briefly and lay down before gazing up at the endless blue sky. He caught sight of the Avatar's bison flying overhead. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he could make out the figures sitting atop the animal.

There were four.

Ignoring the emotions that wracked him, Zuko closed his eyes again.

* * *

**Phew! I'm so sorry for the infrequent updates, but school has been tough lately.**

**Fear not, Zuko and Kioni will meet again. With Zuko's persistance in tracking down the Avatar, how could they not? **

**Next up: Book 2 - Earth.**


	10. The Avatar State (Part 1)

As I soon realized, traveling with the Avatar and his friends was nothing like traveling with Prince Zuko.

For one thing, Aang, Sokka, and Katara actually seemed to like me. It was such a turnaround from what I was used to that it took me a few days to get used to it. Katara complimented me on my hair (even when it looked awful), Sokka laughed at my sarcastic remarks, and Aang always tried to cheer me up when I was feeling glum.

It made me feel even worse about lying to them.

They hadn't pushed me to talk yet, but I could feel their curious glances whenever I entered a room. More than once I heard Sokka and Katara whispering about me when they thought I wasn't listening. I planned to tell them, I really did, but the whole story was so strange and confusing that I didn't know where to begin.

It was easier to avoid the subject while we were on the Water Tribe ship. We were traveling with Pakku and a few other waterbenders on their way to the South Pole, partly because Appa couldn't fly all the way to the Earth Kingdom without rest and partly because Aang still needed a few waterbending lessons.

But we were separating soon, and there would be nothing to distract the other three. That was a lot to think about, but for the moment, I lay in my fur lined hammock and tried not to compare the ship to Zuko's.

The morning of our departure came much to soon for my liking. I stood on the deck of the ship, the cool breeze blowing through my hair as Sokka and Katara said their goodbyes to Pakku.

"Katara, I want you to have this," Pakku said, pulling a necklace with a thin vial on it out of a bag. "The amulet contains water from the Spirit Oasis. The water has unique properties. Don't lose it." Pakku's voice was stern, but a smile broke out on his weathered face.

"Thank you, Master Pakku," Katara said, bowing before rushing forward to hug him.

"Aang," Pakku said as the airbender stepped forward. Pakku handed him a wooden box filled with scrolls. "These scrolls will help you master waterbending. But remember, they are no substitute for a real master." Aang bowed and he and Katara exchanged a smile. I tried to suppress a smile of my own.

"Princess Kioni," Pakku addressed me, and I started. I hadn't been expecting a gift. Uncertainly, I stepped forward. Pakku regarded me with a thoughtful look, as if he knew something about me that I didn't.

"I sense unique abilities from you, princess," Pakku said mysteriously. He handed me a small blue pouch with a green string tied around it. "This pouch contains dried leaves from the tree in the Spirit Oasis. I think you will someday find them useful."

"But sir," I said, dumbfounded. "I'm not a healer, I'm an earthbender."

"This is true," Pakku agreed. "But like I said, I believe you are a special case, my dear. Say hello to your grandfather for me." He winked. Not knowing what to say, I nodded and bowed, stepping back.

Sokka stepped forward, a hopeful grin on his face. "Take care, Sokka." Pakku said, patting his arm. Sokka slumped, dejected.

"Fly straight to the Earth Kingdom base east of here," Pakku advised us once we had boarded Appa. "General Fong with provide you with an escort to Omashu. There you'll be safe to begin your earthbending training with King Bumi."

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang called. My stomach dropped unpleasantly as Appa smacked his tail against the ship and launched into the air. I gasped, clutching the sides of the saddle as we rose seventy, eighty, ninety feet into the air.

"First time?" Sokka said nonchalantly, leaning back against the saddle and putting his arms behind his head. "Don't worry, you get used to it."

After I got over the initial shock, I discovered that I quite liked flying. It was pretty exhilarating to be soaring above the ocean with the wind whipping through my hair. I envied Aang a little, being able to travel like this all the time, never being confined to the earth below.

"So, Kioni..." Katara began uncertainly. I cringed, turning around to find Katara and Sokka staring at me expectantly. Even Aang had turned around in his saddle. I sighed. "What happened?"

"I guess I owe you guys an explanation..." I said, and Sokka nodded earnestly. I took a deep breath. "It all began when we saw Zuko outside Omashu..."

* * *

After three weeks of floating on their raft, Iroh and Zuko had finally washed up ashore some beachside resort on the border of the Earth Kingdom. With the waves lapping gently against the shore and baby pink cherry blossoms dancing through the air, Iroh admittedly couldn't imagine a better place to be shipwrecked.

Zuko, however, didn't seem to be enjoying the scenery. He sat at the edge of the veranda, gazing broodingly at the sea of pink trees. Iroh stepped down from his massage table and approached him slowly.

"I see," Iroh sat down next to his nephew. "It's the anniversary, isn't it?"

"Three years ago, today, I was banished," Zuko said, his voice filled with steely determination. "I lost it all. I want it back. I want the Avatar. I want my honor, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless." His voice broke slightly on the last word.

"I'm sure he doesn't!" Iroh encouraged. "Why would he banish you if he didn't care?" Iroh cringed as Zuko got up and walked away. "That came out wrong..."

"Are you sure that's the only thing that's bothering you?" Iroh asked, following his nephew. "Ever since we left the North Pole, you've been acting different." Zuko didn't say anything.

"Is this about... Kioni?" Iroh ventured. Zuko remained silent, but his shoulders tensed and his hands clenched the railing. "I'm sure she was only acting for what she thought was best, and I think she really did care about you-"

"She was a spy," Zuko cut his uncle off. "And she's traveling with the Avatar now. As far as I'm concerned, when I capture the Avatar, she'll be thrown in prison with the rest of his friends."

Iroh watched sadly as his nephew stormed off.

* * *

"... and that's when I met you guys again at the Spirit Oasis." I finished. Sokka, Katara and Aang were all staring at me with wide eyes. There were exactly two seconds of silence before they began to bombard me with questions.

"So Zuko had no idea you were spying on him?"

"Why didn't you tell us about your mission?"

"What are you going to do now?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I held up her hands in surrender. "No, he didn't know, I couldn't tell you without revealing everything, and I... I don't know what I'm going to do now. I kind of blew my cover." I turned away from them, looking out at the ocean.

I had left out a few key details in my story, such as the story of Zuko's scar and how I was the Green Spirit. I had told them I revealed my true self to distract Zuko further and prevent from taking Aang, leaving out the part about my losing control. If they knew about my conflicted feelings for the fire prince, I was sure they wouldn't be quite as welcoming.

I felt a small hand on my shoulder and turned to see Aang. "It's okay, Kioni," he reassured her. "We'll go to Omashu and figure everything out. You can always travel with us!" The water tribe siblings nodded and I felt a rush of gratitude towards them.

"Thank you guys," I smiled, feeling my eyes tear up slightly. "I really... thanks."

"Aww, group hug!" Sokka cried, and I laughed as they all tackled me with a hug.

"Look, land!" Katara pointed in the distance, and sure enough, mountains were starting to appear. As Appa navigated the mountains, they kept their eyes peeled for the fortress.

"Oh, you do not know how good it is to see earth again," I sighed. As they approached the mountains, I could feel my chi start to flow more clearly. The rich, earthy smell filled my nostrils and I closed her eyes and hummed happily. I could feel the strength of the earth flow through me again. I had been at sea for _way_ too long. Don't get me wrong, the ocean is beautiful, but this earthbender needs some good old fashioned rock.

"There it is!" Sokka exclaimed as Appa rounded a peak. A circular fort at the center of four long, narrow walls came into view. A watch tower stood in the center of what looked like a fighting arena. I beamed as I took in the strong earth walls surrounding the fort and the Earth Kingdom flag billowing in the wind.

"Welcome, Avatar Aang!" As Appa landed and we dismounted, we were greeted by a tall man with a long black beard. He stood proudly, and although his face was friendly, his sharp olive eyes set me on edge. Dozens of earthbender warriors stood behind him.

"I am General Fong," the man introduced himself as he and his warriors bowed. "And welcome to all of you great heroes! Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, mighty Katara."

"Mighty Katara?" Katara said, looking pleased. "I like that."

"And of course, the beautiful and illustrious Princess Kioni," General Fong gestured to me, causing me to blush slightly. Beautiful and illustrious? Behind us, fireworks exploded in the sky.

"Not bad, not bad," Sokka commented.

Before long, we were seated in General Fong's war room, where he regarded them from behind his desk. Looking around the room, my uneasy feeling didn't vanish. The tall, stately pillars and the giant Earth Kingdom banner seemed so... harsh. Like everything was meant for war and war only. All the soldiers here seemed tense, like they were ready and willing to attack anyone at a moment's notice.

_Just because it's not like Omashu,_ I told myself, _doesn't mean there's anything wrong_. Still, it didn't stop me from missing home even more desperately.

"Avatar Aang," General Fong said, stroking his beard. "We were all amazed at the stories of how you single handedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole. I can't imagine how it feels to wield such devastating power. It's an awesome responsibility."

I shifted slightly on my spot next to Sokka. The way he talked made me uncomfortable... it reminded me unpleasantly of Admiral Zhao.

"I try not to think about it too much," Aang admitted.

"Avatar," General Fong smiled warmly, but his eyes were cold and calculating. "You're ready to face the Fire Lord now."

It was like someone told Aang they were about to make Appa into buffalo wings. "What?!" he cried, high pitched and panicked, leaning forward and flailing slightly "No, I'm not!"

"Aang still needs to master all four elements," Katara said.

"Why?" General Fong asked. "With the power he possesses, power enough to destroy hundreds of battleships within a matter of minutes, he could defeat the Fire Lord now!"

"But sir," Sokka tried to explain. "The thing is, Aang can only do those things while he's in the Avatar State."

"See, it's this special state, where-" Aang began.

"I'm well aware!" Fong interrupted. "Your eyes and tattoos glow, and you're able to summon unbelievable power." The raw desire for power in his voice made me shiver. He got up and walked towards a map. "Without you, we'd be slaughtered before we even reached their shores. But with you leading the way, as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right through to the heart of the Fire Nation!"

"Right, but, I don't know how to get in or out of the Avatar State," Aang said uneasily. "Much less what to do once I'm there."

"So, it's decided then," Fong said, turning to face them again. "I'll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar State, and then you'll face your destiny."

"No, nothing's decided!" Katara cried, as the four of them stood up. "We already have a plan. Aang's pursuing his destiny, his way!" Katara crossed her arms angrily.

"General Fong, it doesn't work like this," I added. "You can't just try to cheat destiny." General Fong fixed his stare on me.

"Your parents perished in the war, did they not?" he asked me quietly. I flinched unconsciously. Out of the corner of my vision, I saw Aang, Sokka and Katara turn to me in shock, but I continued to meet Fong's gaze.

"While you take your time learning the elements, the war goes on." He turned back to face Aang "May I show you something?" General Fong led us to the window. I saw a hospital building, with dozens of injured soldiers in and around it. My heart sank like a stone.

"And those soldiers are the lucky ones," General Fong said. "They came back. Every day the Fire Nation takes lives. People are dying, Aang! Good people. Every day, more wives are widowed, more children are orphaned, like Kioni. You could end it, now. Think about it."

With that, General Fong left us staring at the wounded soldiers.

* * *

For some reason, I felt myself drawn to the infirmary. I made my way throughout the legions of bandaged soldiers, seeing their tired, worn faces and their winces of pain as they attempted to walk. Several of them had crutches, or bandaged arms, legs, and heads. I saw one man attempt to sit up, and then sink back down onto his bed with a cry of pain, his face ashen.

So many casualties, so many lives lost... it made me sick just thinking about it.

"Princess Kioni," a voice from behind me came. I turned to see a young man, maybe a few years older than me, standing before me. He was not injured like the rest, but instead wore an apron and held a tray filled with medical supplies. He must have been a nurse. Bowing slightly, he said, "It is an honor. But you should not be here; there are many sick and ailing. It's no place for a princess."

"I want to help," I said firmly. "Isn't there anything I could do?" The man regarded me curiously for a second, before gesturing for me to follow him.

"My name is Jian," he said, leading me around one side of the building.

"Pleasure," I smiled. My smile faded when I saw the expanse of wounded soldiers in front of me.

"Every day, more return," Jian said wearily. "Since we are so near the border, the war has hit us hard."

"What can I do?" I asked. Jian pointed to a few shelves with various medical supplies.

"We need to complete daily rounds through the infirmary," he explained. "On this shelf, we have bandages, healing ointments, some medicines, and..." Jian faltered as I walked towards the shelf and picked up a small pot, no larger than my palm.

"What's in here?" I examined the pot carefully, turning it around it my hand. It was simple, made of clay, and etched with the Earth Kindgom symbol. However, the traditional symbol had been altered slightly, there were now vines with leaves and flowers twining through the circular emblem. I lifted the lid to see an assortment of dried herbs, a mixture of green, brown, yellow dotted with pink and red flowers.

"Healing herbs," Jian replied, sounding somewhat nervous. "They were given to us a while ago by an old healer. They don't work though, we've tried feeding them to the sicker patients, but nothing happens."

"You're not supposed to eat them," I murmured, lifting the jar to my nose and inhaling the pungent scent. I wasn't sure how I knew that; I had never seen these plants before in my life. Jian raised an eyebrow at me, but didn't say anything more.

Jian showed me how to change the bandages on a wounded soldiers. My fingers flew over the gauze like they were made for it, quickly unwrapping and securing the bandages. Within a minute, I had finished dressing the arm wound of one soldier.

I looked up to see both Jian and the soldier staring at me with surprise. "You're a natural," Jian said, a smile breaking out on his face. I smiled back tentatively.

I made my way around the tent, helping the Earth Kingdom soldiers, replacing their medicines, bringing them water, and chatting with them along the way. Most of them were fairly surprised to see me there.

"Just trying to do my part to end this war," I would say when they questioned me.

"Kioni!" I turned to see Jian striding towards me. "I have to go meet with General Fong. Think you can hold down the fort for a couple minutes?"

"I think I can manage," I grinned, my heart swelling with the thought that Jian would entrust me with looking after these soldiers, even if just for a few minutes. Jian thanked me and strolled off. I continued making my rounds, changing bandages and treating minor wounds.

I was chatting with a soldier named Tuan while I applied a hot cloth to his sprained ankle, when I heard someone scream, "HELP!" I whirled around and gasped as I saw one of the soldiers had fallen, and by the looks of it, the wound on his side had reopened. His eyes were closed and his face was a sickly pale color. Dark red seeped through the bandages on his side. A nurse next to him had kneeled down and was trying to help him while the soldier next to him shouted for help.

My heart stopped in my chest. I ran over to the fallen soldier and kneeled down next to the nurse. "What happened?" I asked her.

"I don't know, he just collapsed!" she cried, panicking. "The wound must have reopened!" Together with another soldier's help, we lifted the wounded one onto a stretcher. The other nurse quickly removed his bandages and my breath caught in my throat as I saw his bloodied skin.

"If we don't stop the bleeding soon, he'll die!" the nurse wailed. The color was already almost completely drained from the soldier's face. I looked around frantically, but Jian was nowhere to be found. How was I supposed to stop this bleeding?

_The herbs!_ I dashed to the cabinet and grabbed the small pot. Grabbing a mortar and pestle, I emptied a handful of herbs into the mortar and began to crush them. "I need water!" I hollered. The nurse brought me a sack of water and I put a few drops in, continued to mix it until it had formed a thick paste.

Not noticing everyone watching me, I rushed back to the bleeding soldier and spread the paste evenly along the bleeding wound. As if by instinct, I placed my hands on the wound, closed my eyes, and concentrated. I could feel little tingling points erupt all over my palms, like little spots of energy emanating from the herb mixture.

These herbs, they were a part of the earth... a part that contained life.

I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut harder, concentrating on pulling the energy from the earth, through my palms, and into the soldier's body. I could feel the the spots of life dance through my fingertips and flow like a current into the soldier's wound.

Gasps erupted behind me. I opened my eyes and nearly screamed in shock as I saw a green glow surrounding my hands and the part of the soldier's body I was touching. Little tendrils of darker green swirled from my fingertips, before sinking into the wound and dissolving. I lifted my hands and the glow faded. The paste had hardened, stopping the bleeding and forming a protective covering over the wound.

The soldier let out a choking gasp and opened his eyes. "Wha... what happened?"

I sunk to my knees with exhaustion. My hands were covered in blood and dark green paste, and I felt completely drained of energy myself. I tried to stand and had to steady myself on a bedpost as I swayed, spots dancing across my vision.

"Kioni?" I turned to see Jian standing in the entrance of the tent, his face a mask of shock. I looked around to see the other nurses and soldiers staring at me with the same dumbfounded expression.

"I... I just-I mean, I don't-" I stammered, feeling my cheeks heat up. They simply stared at me with shocked, wide-eyed silence. I squirmed uncomfortably, feeling like a caged animal.

"I have to go," I blurted, before I turned and ran out of the infirmary.

* * *

**Aaaand, we have begun Book 2! **

**Hope you guys enjoy Kioni's newfound abilities, hehe! I'm going to have a lot of fun with this. **

**The more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to update faster! ;) **


	11. The Avatar State (Part 2)

I lay in my bed staring at the ceiling later that night, which was apparently becoming my favorite pastime. Sokka and Katara were both in their beds, but they seemed to be awake as well. Aang wasn't in the room, presumably thinking about General Fong's offer.

After fleeing the infirmary, I had run back to the houses where we were staying and locked myself in the room. I had sat on the floor and stared disbelievingly at my hands for over an hour, so many questions running through my head. I had even taken a leaf off one of the plants sitting around and tried to extract it's energy again, but nothing. No glow, no orbs of energy. The leaf didn't even quiver.

Eventually, I gave up and just had to accept that something really, really weird had happened.

The door opened and closed as Aang walked in and sat down on his bed. I sat up in my bed along with Katara, watching him curiously.

"I told the General I'd help him by going into the Avatar State," Aang said, hanging his head slightly.

"Aang, no!" Katara cried, getting up. "This is not the right way!"

"Why not?" Sokka asked from his bed, arms behind his head. "Remember when he took out the Fire Navy? He was incredible!"

"There's a right way to do this," Katara insisted. "Practice, study, and discipline."

"Or just glow it up and stop that Fire Lord!" Sokka supplied helpfully.

"If you two meatheads want to throw away everything we've worked for, then fine!" Katara said, getting angry. "Go ahead and glow it up!"

"Katara, I'm just being realistic!" Aang defended. "I don't have time to do this the right way!" I saw his shoulders slump and his face fall into one of resigned misery. With a start, I realized how much pressure Aang had on him.

"Hey, Aang, it's okay," I said, getting up and walking over to him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Whatever you decide, we're here for you."

"Do you think this is the wrong way to do things?" Aang asked me, looking up with wide gray eyes. I hesitated.

"I think Katara has a point..." I began carefully. "But I also think this war has been going on too long. It's been a hundred years. People are tired." I remembered the dozens of wounded soldiers in the infirmary. I remembered the weary faces of Zuko's crew. I remembered the destruction caused at the Northern Water Tribe. I remembered the day I learned my parents had died. "If I had the option to end the war right now, I would go for it."

Aang gave me a tired smile. "Thanks, Kioni."

"No problem, little man," I rubbed his head playfully. "You should probably go get some rest. I have a feeling inducing the Avatar State isn't going to be easy." Aang nodded, flopping back down onto his bed and curling up under the blankets. I walked back to my own bed and lay down, suddenly feeling even more exhausted. Every time I tried to close my eyes, I pictured my hands, glowing an eerie green.

Eventually, I fell into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

General Fong tried all sorts of ridiculous methods to try to get Aang to enter the Avatar State. He gave him some chi-enhancing tea (which did nothing but make Aang extremely hyper), tried to get Sokka to startle him (which did nothing but make him yell), and tried some ceremonial four-elements ritual (which did nothing but cover us all in mud).

Eventually, tired frustrated and disgruntled, the general called it a day and said we'd try again in the morning.

As I headed up to my room, I nearly ran into Katara. "Whoa!" I cried, stumbling back and bracing my hands on her shoulders to keep myself from falling backwards. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Sorry," she choked out. I looked up, shocked to see tears in her eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, concerned, leading her over to one of the benches.

"It's nothing," she said, wiping at her eyes. "I just told Aang I couldn't make it to training tomorrow." I watched her sniff and rub her eyes for a moment.

"You really don't like seeing him the Avatar State, do you?" I asked quietly.

"It's terrifying," she whispered, looking down at her lap. "He's not himself."

"But, Katara, that's who he is," I tried to explain. "He's the Avatar, he has a responsibility to the world. But he's still Aang."

"Not when he's like that, he's not!" she cried, turning to glare at me. "And doesn't he have a responsibility to us too? We're his friends! Doesn't he have a responsibility to _me_?" Katara looked briefly embarrassed for a moment, but then her eyes flashed again._ "_You've never seen him like that, you don't understand!"

"Hey, calm down," I put an arm around her shoulder. "I didn't say I did." She turned away from me, but I could feel her shoulders shaking. "If you want, I can stay with you tomorrow." I offered.

"Really?" she asked, turning to face me again.

"Yeah," I shrugged. I suddenly remembered that Katara was a healer too. "There's actually something I wanted to talk to you about..."

* * *

The next day as we tidied up our room while Aang and Sokka were out training. Well, Katara tidied. I mostly dawdled around carving pictures in the stone walls with my finger.

""So, what did you want to ask me?" Katara said.

"Oh... that," I hedged, pausing in my detailed drawing of Sokka with a Momo head. "Uh..." I swung around to face Katara fully. She paused in her sweeping and regarded me curiously.

"You're a healer, right? I mean, like, you can heal people with your waterbending?" Katara nodded, still looking confused. "Um... is that ability exclusive to waterbenders?"

Katara raised an eyebrow. "As far as I know," she replied. "I've never heard of another form of bending used for healing."

"When you heal someone with water... what does it feel like?" I asked. "I know your hands and water glows blue, but where do you draw the healing power from?"

Katara sat down on the edge of her bend with a contemplative look on her face. "There's always a certain energy flowing in the water," she said finally. "When I'm fighting, I don't pay much attention it, but I can feel it there, flowing along with the water. But when I heal someone, I basically draw that energy and let it flow into the wound. I let the energy from the water repair and replace the damaged energy surrounding the person's wound."

I looked down at my hands, twisting them together. What she had described was exactly what I had felt back in the infirmary.

"Is it like... little orbs of energy?" I asked. "Do you feel them in the her- I mean, water, and just let them flow up into your fingertips and then down into the injury?"

"Yeah, exactly like that," Katara said, looking surprised. "Why do you ask?"

I bit my lip before speaking. "Is it possible for earthbenders to be healers?" I explained what had happened at the infirmary with the healing herbs. When I had finished, Katara stared at me wide-eyed.

"Wow..." she breathed, looking utterly bewildered. "Wow, yeah, that definitely sounds like healing. And the wound, it just... stopped bleeding?"

"Yeah... I haven't been able to feel energy like that again," I told her. "I tried with these plants, with the rock, but nothing. I don't know if it's just with those special plants, or..."

"I don't know," Katara pursed her lips. "That's really... wow, that's really strange."

"Tell me about it," I muttered. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"I've never heard of anything like that before," she said. "Maybe when we get to Omashu, you can ask your grandf-"

_BOOM!_

Katara and I jumped as the floor shook slightly from a loud explosion from outside. We looked at each other with identical startled expressions.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Beats me," I replied. "Must be some new training technique." I glanced curiously towards towards the window. The floor shook again and a serious of loud rumbling noises seemed to be coming from outside.

"I wonder what crazy thing they're trying now," Katara said uncertainly as the room shook once more. I glanced uneasily at the outside again before meeting Katara's worried stare. "Maybe we should just make sure Aang's okay."

I nodded, and together we went to look outside the window. I gasped as I took in the scene. Aang was running as the earthbender soldiers tried to hit him with earthen disks. He slid out of the way and leapt into the air as they pursued him on their ostrich horses. I looked over at Katara, who mirrored my shocked expression.

"It looks like they're trying to attack him," I said, dumbfounded. "But why..." Katara's face turned white.

"Oh, no, they wouldn't..." she said, horrified. "Would he?" Without another word, Katara turned and dashed out of the room.

"Katara, wait!" I cried, following her. We ran down the flights of stairs towards the commotion, and I saw Sokka running down on the side opposite from us. "What's going on?" I asked as we met up with him.

"The general's gone crazy!" Sokka cried. "He's trying to force Aang into the Avatar State!"

"What!?" I yelled. "That's incredibly dangerous!"

"I know!" Sokka yelled back frantically. I swung myself over the railing and plummeted towards the earth, tucking my body into a ball and somersaulting as I hit the ground so that I landed standing up, my hands in the fighting position. The ground rippled with the effect of my fall, causing the General to turn around.

"General Fong, what are you doing?" I shouted as Katara and Sokka continued running down the stairs. "This is so dangerous! There's no telling what Aang will do if you _force_ him into the Avatar State!"

"I believe we are about to see results!" he replied, a maniacal gleam in his eye. I stared at him, speechless.

"You're insane!" I yelled. Aang ran towards my direction, followed by half a dozen soldiers on ostrich horses. I readied my stance and sent a wave rippling through the earth, causing the animals to stumble and the men to fall off with a yell.

"Do not trifle with me, princess!" the general growled, looking angry now. He summoned a disk and sent it spinning towards me but I held out a fist and punched it into dust, sending chunks flying everywhere. "Men, stop her!"

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by the soldiers, who all pointed the disks towards me. I narrowed my eyes, unsure of how I would be able to stop all of them at once. Suddenly, a boomerang whizzed through the air and clonked one of the soldiers in the head, causing his disk to fall. I turned and saw that Sokka and Katara had finally descended the stairs.

"Yeah, boomerang!" Sokka cried, leaping into the air and catching his boomerang as it returned to him.

In the brief moment of relief I had gotten by seeing Sokka and Katara, I'd lost concentration. An earth disk slammed into me, catching me by surprise, and sent me skidding backwards. I used the earth to slow myself down and prevent myself from being smashed against the wall, but I stopped right in front of two burly soldiers, who immediately grabbed my arms and legs and pinned them behind my back.

"Let me go!" I cried, struggling furiously, but it was no use. These guys were serious body builders, because trying to budge them was even harder than trying to budge a mountain. And believe me, I know.

I watched helplessly as Aang was nearly sliced in half by one soldier, but a stream of water sliced the tip off his spear. General Fong turned his glare towards Katara as Aang dashed up the stairs, trying to make an escape. He stamped his foot and caused a legion of disks to surround Katara. My eyes widened and I struggled harder. I might have been able to stop those disks, but there was no way Katara could!

"Maybe you can avoid me," General Fong boomed, looking up at Aang, who paused on the stairs in horror. "But she can't!" With a flick of the general's hand, all the stones turned towards Katara.

Katara seemed to finally realize that she was in trouble. A steely look crossing her face, she bended some water from her pouch and sent it flying towards the general, but he merely bended some earth up to turn the water into mud. Then, to everyone's horror, the earth twisted and Katara sank a few feet into the ground.

"I can't move!" she cried, struggling.

"Don't hurt her!" Aang shouted, flying back towards the ground. He sent a funnel of air towards the general, but he blocked it with a wall of stone, and caused Katara to sink a few inches further. I struggled desperately, thrashing against my guards, but they didn't even blink.

"Katara, no!" Sokka yelled, rushing towards her on his ostrich horse. I blinked, confused at how he got one of those, but the general merely flicked his hand and send Sokka flying into one of the disks.

"Stop this!" Aang cried, rushing up to the general and grabbing him by the arm. "You have to let her go!"

"You could save her if you were in the Avatar state!" the general roared.

"I'm trying!" Aang said desperately, tears forming in his eyes. "I'm trying!"

"Aang, I'm sinking!" Katara wailed, now up to her chest.

"Let her go!" I shrieked, twisting and trying to break free. "She'll suffocate if she goes under!"

"I don't see glowing!" the general glared, looking down at Aang without pity.

"Aah!" Katara cried as she sank up to her neck. "Please!"

"You don't have to do this!" Aang begged, sinking to his knees.

"Apparently, I do," the general said without mercy.

"No!" I cried as he closed his fist. Aang leapt forward and tried to grab at Katara as she went completely under. To my horror, he began to shake, and his eyes and tattoos glowed an unearthly blue. "No..." I repeated, whispering this time.

"It worked!" the general yelled triumphantly. "It worked!" His maniac smile faded as Aang rose above the ground in a whirlwind and slashed at him with air, causing him to go flying backwards.

I watched, horrified, as Aang rose fifty feet in the air on a funnel of dust and glared down on the scene below. My captors' arms loosed in surprise, and with a grunt, I elbowed them both hard and then kneed them in their groins, causing them to fall over groaning in pain.

"Avatar Aang, can you hear me?" the general called as Aang stared at him from above. "Your friend is safe!" He lifted his arms and Katara emerged from the earth, her mouth still frozen in a scream. She landed on her hands and knees and gasped for breath. "It was just a trick to trigger the Avatar state! And it worked!"

I started to run towards Aang, but suddenly Sokka was there, grabbing my arm and tugging me the other direction. "We have to get away from here!" he cried. "There's no telling what Aang will do now!"

I looked at the expression of pure fury on Aang's face, a face that didn't look anything like Aang, and realized Sokka was right. Together, we ran towards the main tower. "Katara!" I cried as we approached her. She looked up at Aang with so much anguish that my heart broke. "Katara, come on!" Sokka lifted her by the arms and dragged her along with us.

I turned just in time to see Aang rocket towards the ground. On instinct, I turned my back to him and lifted my arms to create a rock cave that enclosed me, Sokka, and Katara. I could feel the intense vibrations as Aang hit the ground, causing all the earth around him to uproot itself in a devastating earthquake. I closed my eyes and concentrated on keeping the roof from caving in as it was hit with chunks of rock, earth disks, and other debris.

As the chaos faded, I brought down the cave and took in the scene around me. The arena was completely devastated, with the buildings in ruins, cracks and rocks jutting out of the previously smooth earth, and several earthen disks broken and lying around, while others were stuck in the wall. Katara immediately ran over to Aang, who was sitting in the middle of the wreckage with his head bowed. I ran after her.

"I hope you never have to see me like that again," Aang said as I approached.

"Ha! Are you joking?" My shoulders tensed as I turned around to see General Fong striding towards us. I cursed in my head; I had been slightly hoping he had at least been knocked out in the explosion.

"That was almost perfect!" he crowed. "Now we just have to find out a way to control you when you're like that."

Aang glared at him with an expression of utmost hatred. "You're out of your mind." he said flatly.

"I guess we'll figure it out on the way to the Fire Nation," the general continued, ignoring the dirty looks we were all giving him. He opened his mouth to speak again, but then closed it and fell forward with a stunned expression as Sokka came up behind him on the ostrich horse and clonked him over the head with a club.

"Anybody got a problem with that?" he challenged. We turned towards the soldiers, smirking, but they shook their heads, looking terrified.

"Do you still want an escort to Omashu?" one of them asked, bowing as we approached. I gloated a little at the ashamed tone of his voice.

"I think we're all set," Katara said snarkily, and they nodded, backing away with their heads still bowed.

As soon as we'd gathered our belongings, Aang whistled for Appa and we prepared for departure, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. As Sokka and Katara climbed onto Appa's back, I heard a shout behind me.

"Kioni, wait!" I turned to see Jian running towards me. He stopped in front of me, panting slightly. I flushed with embarrassment, the details of my strange experience flooding back as I looked at him.

"Jian, I'm sorry, I-" I stuttered, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"No, listen," he interrupted me, thrusting a small pot into my hands. "I don't know what happened back and the infirmary, but take these." I opened the lid to find the rest of the herbs I had used to heal the soldier.

I returned his smile tentatively. "Thank you Jian," I replied, truly grateful. I thought for a second before throwing my arms around him and hugging him tightly. He hugged me back, arms wrapping around my waist.

"I hope you figure out what it all means," he murmured in my ear.

"Me too," I whispered in return. Finally, we broke away and he smiled gently at me as I climbed upon Appa where Sokka, Katara and Aang were watching with curious eyes.

"We're truly sorry for General Fong's behavior, Avatar," one of the soldiers apologized again. "We hope someday you can forgive us."

"I hope so too," Aang said, gracious but stern. "Appa, yip yip!" Soon, we were flying high in the sky over the mountain ranges. I leaned back against the saddle and closed my eyes, feeling exhausted.

"So, what was going on with you and that earthbending doctor dude?" Sokka asked nonchalantly I cracked one eye open, seeing him munching on some jerky. "I thought you had a thing with Zuko."

"What?!" I yelled at the same time as Katara and Aang; I bolted upright, instantly awake. Katara and Aang stared at me, horrified and at the same time, looking curious.

"I don't have a thing with Zuko!" I cried after a moment of awkward silence. To my horror, my face was turning red.

"Yeesh, I was just teasing," Sokka rolled his eyes, nonplussed.

"Jian was just a friend," I insisted. "But, uh, something strange happened when I was helping him the infirmary." I glanced at Katara, who looked thoughtful again. She caught my eye and nodded, indicating that I should tell them. Aang and Sokka were both looking at me inquisitively.

"I may have one more thing I need to explain to you," I admitted.

* * *

**Sorry it's been so long since an update! I've been extremely busy with school. **

**This episode didn't have any Zuko... I'll be focusing more on Kioni's relationships with the Gaang until they meet again. Which they will, never fear!**

**Please let me know what you thought in the reviews. :)**

**Up next: The Cave of Two Lovers.**


	12. The Cave of Two Lovers

"You guys are gonna be done soon, right?" Sokka asked irritably. "We've got a lot of ground to cover if we want to make it to Omashu today."

"What, like you're ready to go right now, naked guy?" Katara retorted, smirking at Sokka floating in the pond on a leaf, Momo curled up on his stomach.

"I could be ready in two minutes," Sokka declared. "Seriously, whenever."

"Oh, lighten up, naked guy," I snickered, lifting up the leaf that was covering my eyes. He moved the mop of hair out of his eyes to glare at me, and I returned by sticking my tongue out good-naturedly.

We were taking a short respite from our journey to Omashu on the banks of a beautiful river surrounded by cliffs. The sun was shining, the weather was warm, so Katara decided it was the perfect time and place for some waterbending practice.

Which, of course, meant Aang and Katara practiced waterbending while Sokka and I drifted around lazily on giant leaves.

I stretched my arms above my head and yawned hugely as Katara corrected Aang's stance; I smirked slightly as I saw Aang's blush. He was _so_ head over heels for her, it was pretty cute. I sighed longingly and settled back down in my leaf, enjoying the cool water as it lapped across my body.

Our relaxation was interrupted as we heard faint strains of music float through the trees. As we watched curiously, a group of people clad in the strangest clothes I'd ever seen emerged, dancing and twirling their way towards us. In the front of the group was a man with tan skin and long brown hair, who was playing a pipa and singing in a low, soulful voice.

_"Don't fall in love with the traveling girl, she'll leave you broken, brokenhearted."_

Sokka let out a yelp, falling into the water as Momo overturned his leaf in an attempt to greet our new visitors. At the noise, the man in the front stopped and caught sight of us, grinning instantly.

"Hey, river people!" he called.

"We're not river people," Katara said.

"You're not?" he questioned, brows furrowing. "Well then, what kind of people are you?"

"Just... people," Aang said. I flipped off my leaf and waded through the river to join them.

"Aren't we all, brother?" the strange man grinned. I smiled back instinctively, startling when Sokka bumped into me as he stalked past Aang and Katara, looking _quite_ menacing with his mop hair and underwear.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"I'm Chong," the man introduced himself. "And this is my wife, Lily. We're nomads! Happy to go wherever the wind takes us." He let out a cry, playing some sort of riff on his guitar.

"You guys are nomads?" Aang asked, a grin breaking out on his face. "That's great! I'm a nomad!"

"Hey, me too!" Chong cried.

"I know," Aang said, perplexed. "You just said that."

"Oh," Chong replied, bemused. "Whoa, nice underwear." He grinned, catching sight of Sokka, who blanched and skedaddled away, using Momo to cover himself up. I giggled, hiding my amusement behind my hand.

"You guys wanna chillax for a little while?" Chong asked once Sokka had dissappeared, presumably to find his pants. "Looks like you got a bison who could use a'braidin!" Katara and I glanced at each other and grinned.

"That sounds awesome!" Aang said enthusiastically. So, a few minutes later, once we'd all dried off and changed, Lily and her friend Mimi offered to braid our hair, while Moku, Lily's brother, adorned Appa's fur with flowers.

"Hey, Sokka, you should hear some of these stories," Aang said as Sokka returned, looking less than relaxed. "These guys have been everywhere!"

"Well, not everywhere, little arrowhead," Chong said. "But where we haven't been, we've heard about through stories and songs." Sokka's eyes narrowed so far you could barely make them out.

"They said they'll take us to see a giant nightcrawler!" Aang said.

"And on the way, there's a waterfall with a neverending rainbow," Moku added.

"Look, I hate to be the wet blanket here, but since Katara's busy, I guess it's up to me." Katara shot him a glare. "We need to get to Omashu! No sidetracks, no worms, and definitely no rainbows." Sokka insisted.

"Sounds like someone's got a case of destination fever!" Chong sing-songed. "You're focused to much on the destination."

"You gotta worry less about the where, and more about the going," Lui explained.

"O-MA-SHU." Sokka enunciated loudly.

"Sokka's right," Katara said. "We need to find King Bumi so Aang can learn earthbending and Kioni can do... whatever she needs to do." I blushed slightly as everyone turned to me curiously. I still had no idea what I needed to do.

"Sounds like you're headed to Omashu!" Chong said. Sokka smacked himself on the forehead. "There's an old story about a secret pass... right through the mountains." Aang sat up, looking interested.

"Is this real, or a legend?" Katara asked suspciously.

"Oh, it's a real legend," Chong assured her. "And it's as old as earthbending itself." He began to strum, and the other nomads got up and started to sway to the music. Aang, Katara and I sat back against Appa and watching, grinning, as Sokka stood there grumpily with his arms crossed.

_Two lovers, forbidden from one another  
A war divides their people, and a mountain divides them apart  
Built a path to be together_

"And yeah, I forget the next couple lines," Chong said sheepishly. "But then it goes:

_Secret tunnel! Secret tunnel! Through the mountains!  
Secret, secret, secret, secret tunneeellll!_

We clapped furiously once Chong finished, and I sighed in contentment, sinking into the soft fur of Appa's leg. That song sounded strangely familiar to me, and the story, about two lovers... I was sure I'd heard the story before.

"I think we'll just stick with flying," Sokka said, not amused. "We'll be fine."

"Yeah, thanks for the offer, but Appa hates going underground," Aang explained. "And we need to do whatever makes Appa most comfortable."

As it turned out, flying through a terrifying Fire Nation blockade with terrifying Fire Nation soldiers hurling terrifying fire balls at us was not, in fact, what made Appa most comfortable.

"Secret love cave, let's go." Sokka said, as we stalked past the nomads once more, tired and sooty.

* * *

Zuko was tired, hungry, sore, and worst of all, humiliated.

It had been _days_ since he'd had a proper meal and a proper bed. Living in the wild, having to make his own fires and catch his own food - this wasn't the lifestyle for him! And worst of all, his stupid Uncle _had_ to go and try that stupid white jade plant, giving himself and stupid rash and landing both him and Zuko in this stupid Earth kingdom infirmary.

And if it couldn't get any worse, their healer was a pretty young Earth kingdom girl with dark brown, almost black, hair and large, expressive eyes.

_Seriously,_ Zuko thought moodily. _The only difference is the brown eyes and lack of backstabbing sarcasm._

"You two must not be from around here," the healer said with gentle amusement as she dabbed cream on Iroh's rash. "We know better than to touch the white jade plant, much less make it into tea and drink it." Iroh chuckled sheepishly.

"So, where are you traveling from?" she asked, wringing out a washcloth.

"Yes, we're travelers!" Zuko said much too loudly, standing suddenly.

"Well, do you have names?"

"Names?" Zuko repeated, scratching his head and trying to think quickly. "Of course we have names! I'm... Lee. And this is my uncle uh... Mushi." Iroh poked his head around to glare at Zuko.

"Yes, my nephew was named after his father, so we just call him Junior," Iroh said sweetly, shooting a smug look at Zuko, who clenched his teeth.

"Well, Mushi and Junior," the healer said, oblivious to their exchange. "My name is Song. You look like you could use a hot meal. Why don't you stay for dinner?"

Zuko looked away, ignoring his protesting stomach. He was not about to get sweet-talked another pretty Earth Kingdom girl. "Sorry," he said stonily. "But we have to be moving on."

"That's too bad," Song frowned. "My mother always makes too much roast duck."

"Where do you live, exactly?" Iroh asked eagerly.

* * *

_It would have been too much to ask for a nice, simple tunnel, wouldn't it?_ I thought as we stumbled through the darkness, our path only illuminated by a single glowing torch. _No, of course we had to be trapped inside the "labyrinth", the one that we could die in forever unless we believe in love._

In case you couldn't tell, my optimism was fading quickly. After being closed into the caves by angry Fire Nation soldiers, it didn't seem like believing in love was helping us find our way out. Then again, neither was Sokka's map.

"Sokka, this is the tenth dead end you've led us too!" I cried, as he studied the wall of rocks in front of us.

"This doesn't make sense, we've already came through this way!" Sokka insisted, turning around.

"We don't need a map, we just need love," Chong said plaintively. "The little guy knows it!"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't mind a map also." Aang said.

"There's something strange going on here," Sokka said. "And there's only one explanation... the tunnels are changing." As soon as he said those words, the tunnels began to shake.

"Good going Sokka, way to make the love cave angry," I muttered.

"The tunnels are a'changing!" Chong cried, still managing to look serene when he was panicking. "I knew we shouldn't have come down here!"

"Yes, if only we'd listened to you," Sokka said sarcastically, and I smiled despite my frustration.

"Everyone be quiet!" Katara insisted. "Listen!" A dull roar seemed to be growing louder and louder. Momo let out a scared screech and flew off Sokka's shoulder to hide behind Katara. Sokka stretched his arm out, trying to see beyond the dull glow of the torch.

I let out an embarrassingly high-pitched scream as the a wolf bat darted out from the darkness.

The wolf bat let out a screech and Sokka ducked and it flew past him towards Momo. Terror shot through me, rooting me to the spot as Aang shoved me out of the way to keep the bat from attacking me. It landed on all four paws as it turned towards eyes, eyes glowing menacingly.

"W-W-WOLF BAT!" I shrieked, my voice and hands shaking. The bat flew towards us again, but Sokka waved his torch to scare it off. Unfortunately, the torch flew out of his hands and landed on Appa's feet, causing Appa to snort and bellow in pain, stomping around in agony.

We watched, frozen, as Appa trampled around, headbutting the cave walls and causing rocks to stir from the ceiling and start to fall. Thankfully, Aang had the sense to blow us out of the way with a giant gust of air, sending me, Sokka, and the nomads sprawling as a landslide of rocks tumbled between us.

As I stood up, shakily, I saw Sokka run to the giant rock wall and scramble at it frantically. I rushed to join him, shouting, "Aang! Katara! Can you hear me?"

"We're okay!" Katara called back as Sokka continued to pull away rocks furiously. "We'll meet you guys at the exit!"

"Yeah, we're separated," Chong said. "But at least you have us!" Sokka let out a wail of despair and began digging even more frantically at the rocks.

"Oh, come on, you big baby," I rolled my eyes, grabbing his arm and dragging him away from the wall to stop him from burying himself in it.

* * *

Dinner was an awkward affair.

Iroh seemed to be enjoying himself greatly, slurping up his noodles with vigor, but Zuko couldn't bring himself to eat more than one bowl of noodles. Every time he looked over at Song, his stomach twisted unpleasantly, diminishing his appetite.

"My daughter tells me you two are refugees," Song's mother said, bringing over a plate of roast duck. "We were refugees too, once."

"When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village," Song said, looking directly at Zuko. "All the men were taking away. That was the last time I saw my father." Despite himself, Zuko's heart ached for the girl.

"I haven't seen my father in many years," he admitted in a low voice, looking down at his bowl.

"Oh," Song said sympathetically. "Is he fighting in the war?" Iroh stopped slurping his noodles and looked at Zuko.

He bowed his head, unable to meet the girl's eye. "Yeah."

After dinner, Zuko excused himself and went outside, sitting on the porch and attempting to meditate, as he had seen his uncle do many times before. But try as he might, he just couldn't clear his mind. Despite the warnings going off in his head, he couldn't shake the emotions and memories that kept assaulting him every time he looked at Song. She reminded him too much of someone else...

_I wonder where she is now._

She was traveling with the Avatar, that much he knew. They were probably already back in Omashu, where she'd told her grandfather all about Zuko's plans and his past and they were all sitting around laughing at his weakness and stupidity for believing her. She was probably in the palace, dressed in royal beautiful robes, like a princess, whereas he, a prince, was now a fugitive, stuck running around through the wilderness without proper shelter or food, who would probably never see his family again. He squeezed his eyes shut, letting the hurt give way to anger. It just wasn't fair.

A door opened to his right, and Song emerged. "May I join you?" she asked, sitting down next to him despite his lack of response. "I know what you've been through. We all do. The Fire Nation has hurt you." She reached out to touch his scar, but he caught her hand a lowered it.

"It's okay," she murmured. "They've hurt me too." She lifted up her tunic leg to reveal her scarred calf, and Zuko's eyes widened as he caught sight of it. Memories flashed through his head - a forehead gushing blood, a girl who wasn't breathing, fire searing at his back as someone was ripped out of his arms.

But when he looked up, he met warm brown eyes instead of sharp green.

* * *

_Oh, don't let the tunnel cave in get you down! Don't let the falling rocks turn your smile into a frown!  
__When the tunnels are darkest, that's when you need a clown, hey!  
Don't let the cave in get you down!_

I took a deep breath through my nose and tried to refrain from screaming. Although the singing had been amusing at first, it started to get very old after about the first twenty songs.

"I'm seriously about to rip the strings off that guy's pipa and stick it down his throat," I grumbled to Sokka as we plodded behind them. He rolled his eyes in agreement and clutched the map with whitening knuckles.

"Why're you two so down?" I jumped as Chong appeared from nowhere next to us. "What's y'all's problem with love anyway? Y'never loved before? Unrequited love? Loved and lost?"

Sokka's shoulder's stiffened. "Aha!" Chong crowed, looking triumphant. "I knew it. Tell us about it, little ponytail man. You'll feel better if you talk. What was it, huh? Left you for someone else? Grew apart?"

"Try turned into the moon," Sokka muttered, so quietly I wasn't sure if anyone else was supposed to hear it. Chong stopped, looking for the first time, at a loss for words.

"Sokka," I whispered, putting my hand on his shoulder. He shook his head, his ears turning red. I bit my lip and turned him to face me, and to my horror, his eyes were misty. "Oh, Sokka." I embraced him gently.

"Uh, sorry man," Chong said, looking awkward. Sokka shook his head again, and started marching forward again, but his posture seemed more resigned than angry. I trailed behind, unsure what to do.

"You've loved and lost too, haven't you?" Lui said softly, also appearing behind me. I jumped again. "I can see it in your eyes."

I opened my mouth to protest, my mind suddenly flashing to honey colored eyes and a warmer than average embrace. "You don't know what you're talking about," I replied stonily, pushing the thoughts away.

_Even if you're lost you can't lose the love you've got within your heart_.

The strum of the pipa stopped as the screeching from before filled the cavern. "Oh no," I muttered, feeling the fear creep into my bones again. "Oh, please no." I stepped closer to Sokka and clutched his hand instinctively.

"Get down!" Sokka cried, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me to the ground as the air was infested with screeching wolf bats. I wrapped my arms over my head, shaking as the bats flew overhead.

"Hey, you saved us, Sokka!" Chong cried as the bats flew into the dark tunnels.

"No," Sokka said, looking even more scared as he helped me up. "They were trying to get away from something." Suddenly, the earth around us rumbled and split from both ends as two enormous creatures emerged from the rock. They were long, slick, covered with brown fur with enormous snouts and sharp, deadly claws.

"Badgermoles," I breathed in horror. They clapped their paws together, forming a chasm between me and Sokka and the nomads. As one snuffed the air, sending us both flying, I tried to use my earthbending to put up a shield, but the badgermole simply knocked it down with a single claw.

Sokka scrambled backwards furiously, tugging on my arm. I tried to put up more barriers, but they only seemed to irritate the monstrous animal, and it advanced towards us, its eyes deep black and unseeing.

Suddenly, a _twang!_ filled the air as Sokka accidentally put his hand on the pipa which had fallen out of Chong's hands. At the noise, the badgermoles froze. I lowered my arms and cracked open an eye to see the animal looking at us curiously, its head titled. Sokka grabbed the instrument and started playing it, getting up warily as the animals stopped and stared at him.

"Help me!" he hissed, playing disjointed sounding notes as the badgermoles eyed us curiously.

"Uh, badgermoles, please don't eat us," I sang unsurely, stepping away so I was back to back with Sokka. "Badgermoles, coming towards us, please don't eat us. Come on guys, help me out!" I sang, turning towards the nomads.

They immediately leapt up and began playing their instruments. "Look at those badgermoles, ripping the tunnels!" Chong sang, strumming a ukelele. "They move real fast, but they love the sounds."

Sokka turned to me and smiled as I hummed to the melody and I couldn't help but grin in return. "Badgermoles, fierce badgermoles," we sang along with the nomads. "Ripping through the tunnels, don't eat us, badgermoles."

"I think I have an idea," Sokka whispered.

* * *

"So, you _really_ don't like wolf bats, huh?" Sokka asked cheekily as we zoomed through the tunnels on the back of one of the badgermoles. I paused in my strumming to glare at him.

"Shut up," I said, and he simply smirked at me. "If you must know, when I was a little girl, I managed to get out from the walls of Omashu and ended up near some caves near the city. So yeah, not exactly comfortable with wolf bats."

"I'm sorry," Sokka said kindly, putting a hand on my leg. I shrugged.

"It happened a while ago. Now that I think about it, the tunnels were surprisingly like these ones..."

"Probably the same ones!" Chong called from behind us. "The two lovers from the tale were named Oma and Shu, and Omashu is built between their cities as a monument of their love."

"The Cave of Two Lovers!" I snapped my fingers, sitting up suddenly. "I _knew_ the legend sounded familiar. I've been hearing that story since I was a little girl. The two lovers put out their lights and let the crystals on the roof guide them to each other."

Sokka turned to give me an incredulous look. "And you couldn't have mentioned the crystals about a few hours ago?"

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Whatever. Anyway, riding on badgermoles is _way_ cooler."

"Agreed," he grinned as we burst through a wall of stone and daylight flooded my senses. I blinked once, not quite registering that we were out of the tunnels.

"Sokka! Kioni!" I heard a voice call out. I looked down to see Katara waving at us, with Aang standing behind her and Appa sprawled out on his stomach, looking like he was enjoying being out in open air. We slid down the badgermole and ran towards them.

"How did you guys get out?" Sokka cried, rushing to hug Katara.

"Just like the legend says," Aang replied, a dopey look coming across his face. "We let love lead the way." I smirked at the look he was giving Katara.

"Really?" Sokka asked. "We let huge ferocious beasts lead our way." He turned and waved to the badgermoles, who grumbled and disappeared back into the tunnels.

"Sokka, I hope you learned something about not letting the plans get in the way of the journey," Chong said, putting his lei around Sokka's neck and hugging him.

"Just play your songs," Sokka muttered, blushing.

"Hey, good plan!" Chong cried. We watched fondly as he and the other nomads meandered off, until the strains of song had all but disappeared.

_Even if you're lost you can't lose the love because it's in your heart._

* * *

"The journey was long and annoying," Sokka said as we climbed the last hill before we reached Omashu. My legs were tired and I was sweating like crazy, but I had never felt happier. I was so close to home, I could almost smell the genomite. "But now you get to see what it's all about."

Sokka reached the top, throwing his arm out in front of him. "I present to you, the Earth Kingdom city of..." he turned forward and stopped. "... oh no."

Brow furrowing, I climbed the last few steps and glanced out to where Sokka's arm had fallen and he was staring with an expression of mute horror. I glanced out, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

Blood roared in my ears. My stomach fell to my feet. I could barely hear Katara and Aang's gasps of shock.

Where my bright and beautiful city should have stood, instead was a nightmare. Wooden bridges leading to the walls from all four sides of the mountain. Smoke wafting from dozens of crumbling buildings. A dark, ominous gloom that seemed to hang over the entire city.

But worst of all, the Fire Nation banner hung over the entrance.

I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even feel my elbows and knees hit the ground as I collapsed, unable to take in the scene but unable to tear my eyes away.

Omashu, my home, my stronghold, had been captured.

* * *

**Dun dun dun dunnnn! Sorry this chapter was kind of a filler. :P There's not that much extra writing to do when she's traveling with the Gaang... but don't worry, she and Zuko will meet again soon. **

**Updates will be coming faster now, I promise! School's been tough, but it's mellowed out recently so that's good. :)**

**I'm hoping to get the next chapter up by at least Sunday. It would really mean a _lot_ to me if you guys would review and tell me what you think, what you're looking forward to, speculations, etc. If you have questions I'd be happy to answer them! **

**Do you think we can get 5 reviews by Sunday? I would really, really love it, seriously, whenever someone reviews it puts a smile on my face for the rest of the day.**

**Next up: Return to Omashu (Part 1)**


	13. Return to Omashu (Part 1)

_This is all my fault._

I stared, with mute horror, at my once-unconquerable city. The place I'd always felt so safe in, the place that was supposed to be far enough inland to withstand major attacks, and strong enough to hold off any that might come.

"I can't believe it," Aang said, shocked. "I know the war has spread far, but Omashu always seemed... untouchable."

"Up until now, it was," Sokka said sadly. "Now Ba Sing Se is the only great Earth Kingdom stronghold left."

_Ba Sing Se will fall eventually. Just like your precious hometown._

I felt sick.

"Kioni?" I felt Katara's hand on my shoulder, and looked up to meet her worried gaze. "Kioni, are you-"

"I-I have to go in there." I struggled shakily to my feet, brushing off Katara's hand. "I have to help, I have to..."

"Kioni, wait!" Katara's hand closed around my shoulder again, more forcefully this time. "You can't just go rushing in there! It's not safe, who knows how many Fire Nation soldiers are in there?"

I turned to give her a look of utter disbelief. "That is my _home_, Katara. All my friends and family are in there. My _grandfather_ is in there, everyone I've ever loved is within those walls, and you expect me to _not_ go in there? What would you do it if were your village?"

"Kioni, calm down!" Sokka said, holding his hands out as Katara closed her mouth. "We don't even know if Bumi's still-" Katara and Aang whirled towards him, shaking their heads frantically, but the damage was done.

"_What?_ If he's still _what_ Sokka?" I yelled, my hands clenching into fists.

"... around," Sokka finished uncertainly. I made a noise low in my throat and started to stomp down the hill, wiping furiously at my eyes.

"Kioni, wait!" I heard Aang cry out. I whirled towards him, eyes flashing furiously.

"_NO!_ You don't understand!" I shouted. "This is _all my fault! _It was _my_ job to watch Zuko so something like this wouldn't happen, and I _failed!_ I went and got my feelings hurt and blew my cover and because of it _my home was captured!_ My grandfather entrusted me with the safety of our city, and I _failed_ him, Aang, and now I don't even know if he... if he's..." I broke off in a sob, unable to keep in my tears.

Aang floated down to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I hiccuped and sniffed as he looked up at me with wise, gray eyes.

"This is _not_ your fault, okay?" he said. "This probably has nothing to do with Zuko, we haven't even seen him since the North Pole, there's no way he could've organized this massive takeover since then. And I was just going to say I'm coming with you."

"We are too," Katara said from behind him. "We're sorry Kioni, we didn't mean to upset you. Of course we'll come with you to help you find your loved ones. And you were right, if this were my village, I'd be doing the same thing."

I wiped my eyes and sniffed once more, ridding myself of the tears. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout."

"Let's just focus on kicking some firebender butt, huh?" Sokka grinned, and I laughed quietly, if not tearily. "How do we get in this place anyway?"

Aang and I exchanged looks. "We know a way."

* * *

"A secret passage huh?" Sokka asked as Appa flew us around and down to a giant pipe protruding from one of the mountains. "Why didn't we just use this last time?"

Sokka followed that statement with a disgusted cry as Aang pried open the lid to the pipe and gallons of dirty sewer water came gushing down onto the water tribe warrior.

"That answer your question?" I asked dryly, hopping in the cave before Aang. I lead the way up the smelly pipe, breathing through my mouth to keep the stench from getting to me. Aang followed closely after me, projecting a ball of air in front of the two of us to prevent from getting splashed, while Katara used her waterbending to protect herself as we ascended. Sokka, however, was not so lucky.

Finally, the incline leveled out until we were standing knee deep in muck and staring upwards at a ladder about twenty feet high. As I looked over at Aang, he nodded and stepped on the first rung, beginning to climb with me following. As we reached the top, he used his airbending to loosen the manhole cover and peeked out slightly.

"It's all clear!" he whispered, and Katara and I pulled ourselves out of the sewer. I glanced around at our surroundings; it appeared like we had entered in one of the back alleys of the lower income districts of Omashu. I frowned slightly, mentally trying to get my bearings. Although I knew my city well, Omashu was fairly large and I was pretty sure I'd never been here before.

"Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought," Katara remarked, straightening her robe. A deep, tortured moaning noise came from behind her. We whirled around just in time to see a sludge, covered being emerge from the depths of the sewer, groaning dramatically and staggering down the street.

I rolled my eyes at Sokka as he cried out Katara doused him in water and Aang blew a gust of air at him to dry him off. He shook his head for a few seconds, then shrieked loudly as he noticed the small purple creatures resting on his cheeks.

"They won't let go!" he screamed hysterically, tugging frantically at the pentapi. "Help! Help!"

"Shut up!" I hissed, slamming him against the wall with a rock and covering his mouth. "You're going to wake the whole street!"

"It's just a purple pentapus," Aang explained. He reached over and scratching one of the the tiny creatures until it emitted a pleased sound, curling into Aang's touch and peeling it's tentacles away from Sokka's skin. Aang removed the pentapus and placed it back in the barrel, leaving a pattern of odd spots on Sokka's cheeks.

"Hey!" A loud call came from down the street and I tensed instantly, seeing the troop of soldiers making it's way towards us. As Aang quickly covered his tattoo, I clenched my fists, glaring furiously at the soldiers coming towards us.

How dare they invade my home! They had no right to be here. I opened my mouth to speak when Katara squeezed my arm painfully. I turned to see her warning look. Rubbing my arm ruefully, I nodded curtly at her and resumed my stony silence.

"What are you kids doing out past curfew?" the soldier asked. _Curfew?_ I nearly lost it right then.

"Sorry!" Katara replied, giving my arm another discreet, but painful, squeeze. "We were just on our way home," she told them, her face the picture of innocence. Actually, looking around, both Aang and Sokka had guileless smiles on their faces as well. I reluctantly arranged my face into the least angry expression possible, but it probably came out more like a grimace than a grin.

"Wait!" the soldier called as we turned around and began to walk. I stiffened. "What's the matter with him?" We turned to see him pointing at the spots on the back of Sokka's neck.

"He has, uh, pentapox, sir!" Katara formulated. As the soldier approached, I swear it took all my self control to not earthbend him into the nearest wall. "It's highly contagious!"

"And deadly," I added, smirking vindictively when the soldier backed away quickly. Sokka began to make horrible groaning noises, which I'm not sure were that convincing, but the Fire Nation soldiers seemed to buy it.

"Ugh, it's so awful!" he moaned. "I'm dying!" He staggered around theatrically, causing the soldiers to stumble back into each other.

"Hey, I think I've heard of pentapox!" the leader said. "Didn't your cousin Cheng die of it?"

"We better get out of here!" another soldier cried, his voice muffled through his mask. "And wash our hands... and burn our clothes!" They scattered away like a couple of sparrow mice.

"Cowards," I muttered glaring after them. "Cowardly, despicable idiots."

"Kioni, I know you're upset," Katara said. "But you need to calm down. We have to stay on the down low if we want to find Bumi, and that's not going to happen if you try to antagonize every Fire Nation soldier we pass."

I opened my mouth to protest heavily, but catching the looks on Sokka's and Aang's faces, I closed it again. "You're right," I sighed, slumping slightly. "I'm sorry, it's just..."

"We understand," Sokka said. "This is your home, and they took it, and you're angry. Anyone would be. But if we want to fix this, our best bet is to find your grandfather first."

I nodded in agreement. "Let's go up to the top of the city, where the delivery tunnels start," I said. "We'll get the best vantage point from there. Plus, it's night, so it's unlikely that anyone will be there."

We tiptoed through the dark city streets, making our way up to the top as quietly as possible. We approached the delivery cart station, a small house on the top of a stone pyramid with rows of chutes going down and started to climb up the steps. Aang flew up and reached down to pull up Katara, and I raised myself up on a slab of stone before kneeling down and reaching a hand down to Sokka, who was still below.

"I can get up on my own," he sniffed, taking my hand anyway. I raised a single eyebrow at him and loosened my grip slightly. "Ack!" he cried out, tightening his hand around mine. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, please help me!" I smirked and hauled him up.

There seemed to be some kind of construction project going on, as there were wooden planks scattered around and scaffolding everywhere. I glanced upwards, trying to make out what the scaffolding was supporting, but I couldn't make anything out in the dark.

I narrowed my eyes. There hadn't been any plans for new projects when I left, so it was likely that this project was something built by the Fire Nation. I swore, if they were trying to build a giant cannon or something, on_ my_ delivery chute headquarters...

"Get down!" Sokka hissed, tugging me behind a pile of wooden planks as three security guards walked past. Yep, definitely a Fire Nation project. Why else would they guard this place at night?

"Let's find Bumi quickly," Katara said. "Where would they be keeping him?"

"Somewhere he can't earthbend," Aang answered. "Somewhere made of metal." I winced at the thought of my grandfather imprisoned in an iron cage. I hoped he was okay; Bumi was strong, but he was a hundred and twelve, and despite his excellent health, who knows what they would do to him.

"I can't think of anywhere like that," I said, my voice shaking slightly. Aang reached over and squeezed my hand comfortingly.

"We'll find him," he assured me. We snuck out from behind the planks and walked across the platform. Suddenly, a loud rumble came from above us and I looked up to see two heavy rocks hurtling down the delivery chute.

I narrowed my eyes again, feeling the tiniest spark of hope in my chest. Those rocks definitely didn't fall naturally.

That hope was quickly quashed however, when I saw the group lights down below that the rocks were rushing towards. I paused, feeling my moral compass battle itself. Was I really going to save a group of _Fire Nation_ soldiers? Upon a second glance, I saw what looked like a girl about our age and a mother holding her small child.

Deciding quickly, I leapt forward and shoved the rocks away, causing a loud ruckus and a huge cloud of dust to erupt around us. The party looked up and shone their lights toward us, illuminating our faces and giving away our position. I only hoped that Aang's head covering stayed on.

"The Resistance!" the mother cried, pointing up at us. I saw the girl's eyes narrow and her mouth quirk upwards before she flung her hands out in front of her, releasing a volley of tiny knives.

Startled, I catapulted myself upward and flipped backward, landing on a pile of wooden planks. _Seriously?_ I thought, beginning to run away as the girl scaled the ladders behind me. _I just saved your life._

"Go!" I shouted at Aang, Katara and Sokka. "I'll take care of her." The girl hauled herself over the ladder and rushed towards me, flinging out another set of tiny arrows. I raised a sheet of stone to block them and then sent that same stone flying towards her, but she merely leapt over it and kept running at me.

I dashed around the corner, barely dodging as a shiruken whizzed past my left arm. I whirled around, thrusting my arms forward to create a stone spike, but the girl changed her direction and easily evaded it. I ran past Aang, who waited until I had gone and then used his airbending to collapse a part of the scaffolding, creating a barrier between us and the knife throwing girl.

I saw her arm lash out one last time and barely contained my gasp as Aang spun his staff around to block the shiruken from hitting him in the face, causing him to skid back several feet. The girl stared us from behind the pile of debris and threw another volley of arrows at us, but before we could react, the ground gave out from under our feet.

I screamed as we plummeted down into darkness, falling at least ten feet before landing on solid ground with a _thump!_

"Ughhh," I groaned, holding my head as the dust settled around us. I'd landed hard on my back and somehow fallen partly on top of Sokka. Gingerly, I picked myself up, rubbing my sore bottom. I blinked once, taking in my surroundings. We were in an underground cavern, lit partially by kerosene lamps and partially the green genomite that was glowing all around.

I blinked again as a man came forward. A sturdy man with a thick black beard, a green Earth Kingdom hat, and a very familiar face.

"Princess Kioni," he whispered, sounding somewhat in awe. My jaw dropped and my heart pounded wildly in my chest.

"Captain Yung?" I asked, hardly daring to believe myself. A huge grin split across the captain's face, and he hauled me up by the arm to pull my into a bone crushing hug.

"You've come back," he murmured into my ear. I hugged him tightly, breathing in the familiar scent of of oil and dust. Yung was my grandfather's most trusted captain, his right hand man, and when I was a little girl, he had been the one in charge of looking after me.

I broke away from the hug, wiping my eyes discreetly, and gestured to my friends who were standing there somewhat awkwardly. "Guys, this is Captain Yung," I said. "Captain, this is Sokka, Katara, and Aa-"

"Avatar Aang," Yung said, bending into a formal bow. "It's an honor to meet you."

"Um, you too, Captain Yung," Aang said, smiling boyishly. "Where are we?"

"We're in the underground tunnels below Omashu," I realized, looking around. Yung nodded and started to walk down the tunnel, gesturing for us to follow after him.

"After the Fire Nation took over the palace, we escaped underground and made this place the headquarters for The Resistance," he explained as he lead us down the tunnel. "We're going to take back Omashu from those thugs!"

"Is my grandfather down here?" I asked hopefully. "He must be leading the resistance, right?"

Yung stopped, looking at me with an expression of pity and anger. "I'm afraid not, Princess," he said. My heart dropped and my mouth opened in surprise, but Yung looked away. "The day of the invasion, we readied ourselves for battle. We were prepared to defend our city, to fight for our lives and for our freedom. But before we even had a chance, King Bumi... surrendered."

I blinked once, not processing. "W-What?"

"The day of the invasion, I asked King Bumi what he wanted to do," Yung said, still not meeting my eye. "He looked me in the eye and said he was going to do _nothing_. Then he just laughed."

I stood with my mouth open, completely baffled. Bumi... surrendering? In all the years that I'd known him, that I'd learned from him, the most important lesson he'd instilled in me was to never give up. It was what he taught his generals and soldiers, it was even the motto that hung above the earthbending academy in the center of town.

"He... gave up?" I asked, my voice shaking. "But... I don't understand. Where is he?"

"We don't know," Yung replied, placing a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. We reached the mouth of the tunnel, where it opened up into a ledge overlooking a large underground cavern. I saw dozens of citizens standing around in the cavern, murmuring to each other quietly. The looked up as we entered, and I saw gasps fly across the room as the murmuring grew louder and recognition dawned on people's faces.

"Bumi would never give up!" Aang insisted, stepping forward.

"It doesn't matter now," Yung said, staring at me with steely determination in his eyes. "Fighting the Fire Nation is the only path to freedom. And freedom is worth dying for. Princess, with you returned, the morale of the soldiers will surely rise. Even if King Bumi isn't present, you can help lead us to victory!"

"Instead of thwarting our plans and saving Fire Nation citizens," the solider beside Yung quipped. His tone was teasing, but I could hear the frustration laced in the statement.

"You guys sent that boulder?" Katara asked, sounding incredulous.

"Captain Yung," I said softly, looking down. "You almost killed a family. That was a mother and her children, and one of them was just a baby."

"Yes, but the older one would have killed you and your friends if we hadn't saved you!" Yung protested. "Don't you understand? We _need_ to destroy every last one of them to take back our city! There is no other option if we want our freedom!"

I stared at the ground, feeling rattled and uneasy about the whole situation. What was I supposed to do? I didn't know the first thing about leading an army. But my people needed me, and Bumi clearly hadn't shown interest in defending Omashu. A lump rose in my throat and I forced it away. _Do not cry_, I commanded myself.

"Actually, there is another path to freedom," Aang broke in. "You could leave Omashu. You're directing all your energy to fight the Fire Nation, but you're outnumbered. You can't win. Now's the time to retreat so you can live to fight another day."

"You don't understand," Yung growled at Aang. "They've taken our home, and we have to fight them at any cost!"

"I don't know, Yung," the soldier standing beside him said. "Living to fight another day is starting to sound pretty good to me."

"Yeah, I'm with the kid!" another soldier spoke up. Yung looked away, closing his eyes. After a moment, he looked back at me.

"What do you think, Princess?" he asked. I bit my lip uncertainly and looked out at the people standing in the cave. They looked tired, worn out, their clothes ragged and hanging a little too loosely on their bodies, as if they hadn't eaten a proper meal in a long time. It was obvious they were suffering, trapped like this.

"I think Aang is right," I spoke finally, addressing both General Yung and the citizens. "Believe me when I say nobody is angrier than I am at the Fire Nation, and nobody is more confused and disappointed at King Bumi's surrender. But continuing to struggle and fight against the Fire Nation soldiers will only result in more suffering. Escape now, and take care of yourselves so you can get stronger to return another day. I promise you, I will find a way to make this right."

Silence settled over the cavern as I finished my speech, the citizens looking at me with approval written on their faces. "Very well," General Yung said. "But there's thousands of citizens that need to leave. How are we going to get them all out safely?"

"Suckers!" Sokka piped up from behind me. Everyone turned to stare at him confusedly. "You're all about to come down with a nasty case of pentapox," he smirked.

* * *

A few minutes later, Sokka was demonstrating how to give yourself pentapox. The citizens were milling around, sticking pentapi on their faces and arms and then tickling them to get them off. Most of them looked quite bemused at the whole prospect. I looked around, smiling slightly, but still feeling uncertain. Unbeknownst to the others, I was also forming a plan of my own.

"Well, how do I look?" a voice came from behind me. I turned around and let out a shriek.

"Miko!" I cried, rushing forward to hug my old friend. He laughed, wrapping his arms around my waist and hugging me back. I pulled away, grinning as I took in his slender form and wiry arms, dotted with tiny red spots."

"You look perfectly diseased," I told him matter-of-factly, and we both laughed again.

"I missed you," he smiled crookedly at me, and my heart thumped unevenly in my chest.

"I missed you too," I replied, returning the smile.

"You really think this is the right thing to do?" he asked, gesturing around to the citizens putting on and prying off the pentapi.

"I really do," I answered softly. "But I'll find Bumi and fix this, okay? I swear."

"I know you will," he said, taking my hand and squeezing it gently. "Hey, I should probably go find my family. But I'll see you later tonight, right? Once we find a place to camp out?"

"Y-yeah," I said, stuttering a bit. He let go of my hand and waved at me as he walked away. I hung my head and let out a small sigh, realizing the possibility that I might not see Miko again.

"Who was that?" I jumped as Sokka sidled up beside me. "Your boyfriend?"

"Jeez, Sokka," I put a hand on my heart to calm its beating. "Who, Miko? No, he's just an old friend."

"Oh, right," Sokka said. "I remember now, because you had a thing with Z-"

"Don't," I cut him off, annoyed. "Don't even say anything." He smirked at me before turning to face the citizens, who were standing there with little red splotches covering their faces, necks, and arms.

"The marks make you look sick, but you gotta act sick too," he explained to the citizens. "You gotta sell it!" We watched as an old man stumbled forward, groaning. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

"Years of practice," the old man grinned, tapping his wooden leg.

"Okay, everyone, into sick formation!" Sokka commanded as the townspeople began to shuffle forward, dragging their feet and letting out moans of pain. As Sokka and Katara turned to follow, Aang stayed put and I turned to walk away.

"Kioni, where are you going?" Katara asked, turning back around. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"No," I replied, a look of steely determination in my eye. "I'm not leaving until I find my grandfather."

* * *

**In case any of you were confused, the italicized quote she's remembering in the beginning of the chapter was something Zuko said to her in an earlier chapter. And Miko is mentioned in Chapter 1. **

**Thank you guys so much for all the reviews! You're amazing. :) Let's aim for... hmm, seven reviews for the next chapter? It _might_ take a bit longer, since I've got some work this week, but I'll try to have it up as soon as I can.**

**Next up: Return to Omashu (Part 2)**


	14. Return to Omashu (Part 2)

_Previously on The Earth on Fire..._

_"I need you to get yourself captured by Prince Zuko so you can keep an eye on him from within," Bumi said, looking down at me solemnly. I need you to inform me if something drastic happens so that I may protect our city if I need to. General Iroh will make sure nothing bad happens to you, but Zuko cannot know anything of this. And neither can the Avatar or his friends."_

_I stared at my grandfather in shock. Get myself captured by Zuko? Have to deal with him for spirits knows how long? Then I realized what my grandfather was entrusting me with. The safety of our city, the chance to travel the world, and the chance to bring down the Fire Nation from within._

_"I'll do it," I replied._

_~*•°•*~_

_"Me? At your mercy?" I laughed loudly, sounding almost maniacal. "Oh, thats rich! If only you knew Prince Zuko," I sneered, putting as much contempt into his title as I could. "You were seriously foolish enough to believe that I was actually your prisoner!"_

_Zuko faltered, causing one of my stones to slam into him and send him stumbling onto the ground._

_"That's right," I smirked, with a cruel triumph. Stop talking, the rational voice in my head warned me, but I was far too angry to listen to it. "Why do you think I came with you so easily that first night? Why do you think I never escaped, when I could have done so any number of times? I gave myself up as your prisoner so I could get behind enemy lines. I've been spying on you this entire time, and you never even realized it!"_

_~*•°•*~_

_"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I held up my hands in surrender. "No, he didn't know, I couldn't tell you without revealing everything, and I... I don't know what I'm going to do now. I kind of blew my cover." I turned away from them, looking out at the ocean._

_I had left out a few key details in my story, such as the story of Zuko's scar and how I was the Green Spirit. I had told them I revealed my true self to distract Zuko further and prevent from taking Aang, leaving out the part about my losing control. If they knew about my conflicted feelings for the fire prince, I was sure they wouldn't be quite as welcoming._

_I felt a small hand on my shoulder and turned to see Aang. "It's okay, Kioni," he reassured her. "We'll go to Omashu and figure everything out. You can always travel with us!" The water tribe siblings nodded and I felt a rush of gratitude towards them._

___~*•°•*~_

_Where my bright and beautiful city should have stood, instead was a nightmare. Wooden bridges leading to the walls from all four sides of the mountain. Smoke wafting from dozens of crumbling buildings. A dark, ominous gloom that seemed to hang over the entire city._

_But worst of all, the Fire Nation banner hung over the entrance._

_____~*•°•*~_  


_____"Kioni, wait!"_

_"__NO!_ You don't understand!" I shouted, pointing at my ruined city. "This is _all my fault! _It was _my_ job to watch Zuko so something like this wouldn't happen, and I _failed!_ I went and got my feelings hurt and blew my cover and because of it _my home was captured!_ My grandfather entrusted me with the safety of our city, and I _failed_ him, Aang, and now I don't even know if he... if he's..." I broke off in a sob, unable to keep in my tears.  


___~*•°•*~_

_"Kioni, where are you going?" Katara asked, turning back around. "Aren't you coming with us?"_

_"No," I replied, a look of steely determination in my eye. "I'm not leaving until I find my grandfather."_

* * *

"I'm coming with you," Aang said immediately.

"What? Aang, no," I said, my eyes widening. "You don't have to do that, I can-"

"No, I'm coming," Aang insisted, snapping his staff open. "Bumi is my friend, I need to know what happened to him." I was about to say absolutely not, but then I caught the look of determination on his face.

"Fine," I sighed. Momo leapt onto Aang's shoulder and chittered, tugging on his head covering insistently.

"Sorry, Momo," he said, pulling the tiny lemur off and setting him on the ground. "I'll feed you later. Let's go," he said, turning to me. I nodded once and used a rock to launch myself up onto the roof. Aang glided up beside me on his staff.

"We'll catch up with you later," he told Sokka and Katara, who were watching us with reluctant expressions. Katara opened her mouth as if to protest, but Sokka put a warning hand on her shoulder and the two walked off to join the other citizens.

"Where do we start?" Aang asked me. I turned to gaze over the sea of rooftops in front of me.

"Somewhere hidden, secluded," I decided. "They'd be keeping him where the Resistance wouldn't think to look. Let's start in the back alleys around the lower districts and work our way up. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious."

Aang nodded and we took off, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Aang flew ahead on his glider, scanning the grounds below while I kept watch from the ground, peeking into crevices, moving loose stones and ducking behind corners.

"There!" Aang stopped, flying down to the ground next to me as we rounded a corner. "Do you hear that?" I stopped and cocked my head, listening. I could faintly hear the turning of cogs in an area that should have been deserted.

"It's coming from over there," I pointed behind a building. I tucked myself into a ball and made a column of stone erupt underneath me, shooting me upwards so that I grabbed onto the railing of a balcony. Aang leapt from building to building supported on a column of air until he joined me.

I grabbed Aang's shoulders for balance as we tiptoed across the railing. He extended a hand to me and I took it, raising an eyebrow. The next second, I let out a yelp as he launched us over the roof and sent us soaring through the air, landing nimbly on his hands and knees on a stone roof behind the building. I, however, landed slightly less gracefully, sprawled out on the stone.

"Ouch," I murmured, rubbing my behind ruefully. Aang smiled sheepishly at me. I meant to stick my tongue out at him, but stopped as the groaning noise of gears turning caught my attention again.

I turned, my eyes widening as I saw a familiar creature below me, walking in circles and pushing what seemed to be an energy machine.

"Flopsie!" I cried from above, sliding down on a column of stone as Aang landed next to me. Flopsie's ears perked up and he turned towards the sound of my voice. I ran towards him, arms outstretched as he lunged for me, but was stopped by chain around his next.

My heart clenched as Flopsie whimpered pitifully and Aang ran to where he was tied to the contraption. I walked towards him, rubbing his arm comfortingly.

"Don't worry, boy, we'll get you out of here," I assured him. Aang bended some water to freeze the chain metal links, then used his staff to snap the chain. Overjoyed at being freed, Flopsie bounded into me, wrapping me up in his arms and licking a long stripe up my face.

"OH, no, Flopsie!" I sputtered at the feeling of goat gorilla slobber all over my face. "Flopsie, gross, no, stop it!"

Aang giggled next to me, and before he knew it, he was smushed against me in the giant oaf's arms, also covered in slobber. "Ewww, Flopsie," he complained and I laughed at Flopsie's delighted grin.

"Come on, you big lug," I thumped his chest affectionately before scrambling onto his back, pulling Aang up to sit behind me. "You gotta help us find grandpa." Flopsie's tail thumped in agreement.

"Yip yip!" Aang called from behind me, but nothing happened. I looked over my shoulder to give him a look and he shrunk back sheepishly. "Sorry... I guess that doesn't work with you."

"Let's go!" I said once, and Flopsie took off, dashing through the streets.

* * *

A few hours later, it seemed as if we'd searched every inch of the city, but Bumi was nowhere to be found, and I was starting to get a bit frustrated.

"Where _is_ he?" I yelled as we reached another dead end. I slid off of Flopsie and banged my fists on the wall in front of us, causing two small dents to appear in the stone.

"Kioni, calm down," Aang said complacently, sliding down next to me. "Let's look somewhere else."

"We've looked everywhere," I sighed, sagging against the wall. _You can't find him because he's not here, _a cruel voice inside my head mocked. _You can't find him because he's -_

"NO!" I said loudly, standing up straight, banishing the voice. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the tears building behind them to go away. _He's not, he can't be, he's okay, he has to be..._

"Kioni," Aang said, and I opened my eyes to see him staring at me worriedly. "It's okay, we'll find him. He's around here somewhere, the Fire Nation wouldn't-" he broke off, stumbling over his words.

"They'd keep him prisoner," he said finally. "They need something to hold over the Resistance's heads." Flopsie lowed in agreement, crawling up beside me and nudging under my chin. "See, Flopsie knows it."

I rubbed the top of Flopsie's head and sank down onto the ground, with Flopsie lowering himself down and resting his head on my knee. I patted him absentmindedly as Aang sat down next to me.

"You know this isn't your fault, right?" he said after a moment of silence. I turned away, not wanting to prove him wrong. "Kioni, I'm serious. There's no way you could've-"

"Couldn't I have, though?" I interrupted him. "If I was still traveling with Zuko, I might have been able to get word of an invasion. I could have warned them, I could've prevented this. But I ruined it, I ruined everything." My head dropped into my hands and I rubbed at my eyes.

"I didn't tell you guys the whole truth about why I blew my cover," I admitted after a silent pause. "It wasn't entirely to stop him from taking you."

"What happened?" Aang asked gently. I sighed, lifting my head from my hands but not looking at Aang.

"When I was traveling with Zuko... we went through a lot together," I began carefully, not sure what to say. "I learned a lot about him that I could never imagine. Did you know his father gave him that scar?"

Aang started beside me, and I turned towards him to see the horrified look on his face. "I know," I sighed. "He said capturing you was the only way he could return home and regain his honor. I believed him, I started to think he wasn't evil, just... misguided and hurt. I started to see him less as an enemy and more as a person."

I rubbed my head, feeling the beginnings of a headache build. Flopsie nosed my knee, giving me strength to continue. "There were a few times when I thought... he saw me as a person too," I murmured, staring down at the floor and tracing patters in Flopsie's fur. I remembered the look on his face the morning after the explosion, the way he got angry after I mentioned Zhao.

_"You will never touch her." _

"I thought we were kind of friends," I sighed. "I thought he cared about me, at least a little bit. But when I tried to stop him from taking you, he... he said all these awful things, and... and I just got so _angry_ and I... blew up at him."

I wiped my nose on my sleeve, feeling embarrassed. I couldn't turn to face Aang, couldn't face his pity or worse, scorn: _you should have known better, you thought you could trust him, what a fool_.

"You were the Green Spirit, weren't you?" Aang asked finally. I turned to look at him, surprised. He didn't look shocked or disgusted, just thoughtful. "The earthbender who helped Zuko rescue me from Zhao... that was you."

"Yes," I replied before realizing how that might look. "I never tried to help him capture you, I swear, Aang! I wouldn't - I'm not on his side or anything, I just -"

"Kioni!" Aang cut off my rambling, putting a hand on my arm. "I know. You rescued me from Zhao, you helped us escape Zuko and the pirates, you delayed him from taking me at the North Pole... I know you wouldn't help him. Actually, I think I should thank you for all the times you helped us and we didn't know it."

"Please don't tell Sokka and Katara," I begged him.

"They'd understand, you know," Aang said quietly. "But I won't tell them if you don't want me to." I let out a relieved sigh. "Besides, it would only give Sokka more ammunition for his teasing that you had a thing with Zuko."

"I don't know where he even _got_ that idea," I groaned, leaning back.

"Isn't he right, though?"

"What?! No!" I yelped, sitting upright and flushing. "That was _not_ what happened, I never even had _any_ feelings for him like _that_, Aang, why would you-" I broke off as I noticed him giggling and caught the mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"You jerk," I mumbled, rolling my eyes but grinning as he yelped through his laughter when I pinched his leg. As our chuckles died down, we sat in silence for a few minutes. The sky was beginning to darken and I shivered slightly at the cool breeze blowing through the alleys.

"It's getting dark," Aang murmured as Flopsie whined uneasily. "We should go find the others." I widened my eyes in surprise.

"But we haven't found Bumi yet," I protested, feeling the panic flare up in me again.

"We'll never find him in the dark," Aang said rationally. "I promise, we'll come back first thing tomorrow and keep searching. We won't leave until we find him."

I began to argue, but stopped when I saw the truth in Aang's words. Sighing deeply, I stood up and stretched my legs, feeling both Aang's and Flopsie's worried gazes on me.

"You're right," I said, looking away and down the dark alley. "Let's go."

* * *

Flopsie easily scaled one of the outer walls and we rode a few miles into the mountains until we saw the smoke from the Earth Kingdom camp. As we rode in, I caught sight of Sokka and Katara sitting by Appa. They ran over to meet us as Aang and I slid down from Flopsie's back and walked towards them, our shoulders slumped.

"We looked everywhere," Aang sighed and I turned away. "No Bumi." Katara pulled Aang into a hug and I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Sokka with his arms outstretched. I collapsed into his arms and he hugged me tightly, rubbing my back comfortingly.

"We've got a problem," Yung's voice broke us out of our moment and I stepped back, wiping my eyes. "We just did a headcount."

"Oh no," Katara said. "Did someone get left behind?"

"No," Yung said, turning to point by near the fire. "We've got an extra." A loud, gleeful cry came from the area where Yung was pointing. I looked to see Momo staggering lopsidedly, with a small child clinging to his neck.

"It's the Fire Nation baby," Sokka said, somewhat dumbfounded. "How did it even get here?"

"Must have snuck out with all the others," Yung said gruffly. "It seems to have taken a liking to your pet monkey."

"What are we going to do?" I asked, tilting my head and watching the baby as it gurgled happily. Despite myself, a small smile formed on my face.

"I don't know," Yung replied. "For now, just keep it in our sight and make sure it doesn't cause any trouble."

"He's not an it," Katara said indignantly going over to pick up the small child. She sat down next to the fire with him and we walked over to join her. The baby crawled off Katara's lap and began following Momo around the fire, who chittered nervously as the baby toddled after him with happy cries.

He fell on his bottom right next to Sokka's club and stared it for a second bemused, before picking it up and gnawing on one end. Quick as a flash, Sokka snatched the weapon out of his grip.

"No! Bad Fire Nation baby!" The child stared, startled, before bursting out into noisy tears. Katara punched him on the shoulder and Sokka rolled his eyes. "Oh, all right," he said, handing the club back to the child, who stopping crying immediately.

"Oh, you're so cute!" Katara cooed, kissing the baby on the cheek. She picked him up and held him out towards me. "Isn't he just the cutest?"

I grinned, ticking the baby under his chin and laughing as he shrieked and squirmed happily. He was pretty darn adorable. Katara pulled him back into her arms and cuddled him, beginning to play along as he pretended to walk.

"Sure, he's cute now," Yung said solemnly. "But when he's older, he'll join the Fire Nation army. You won't think he's so cute then. He'll be a killer."

"Oh, come on, Yung," I said as I took the baby from Katara and held him out to the captain. "Does this look like the face of a killer to you?" Yung didn't answer me, but his stony expression didn't waver.

Suddenly, a loud cry rang through the air as a bird circled our camp and landed on a rock a few feet away. "A messenger hawk," Aang said, getting up to retrieve the letter. I gave the baby back to Katara and followed him as he unfurled the scroll attached to the hawk.

"What does it say?" I asked as Aang's eyes scanned the paper.

"It's from the Fire Nation governor," he said. "He thinks we kidnapped his son. So he wants to make a trade. His son..." Aang's eyes widened as he read the rest of the letter. "... for King Bumi."

We all stared at Aang in shock for a moment. "We have to take it!" I blurted out finally, feeling the hope expand in my chest. Bumi was okay! And we were going to get him back.

"We'll go in the morning," Aang said. He walked over to Katara and took the baby from her, looking at him carefully. "I guess we lucked out with you, little guy."

* * *

The next morning, I gathered the baby in my arms and walked down to where Aang, Sokka and Katara were waiting with Appa. I said goodbye to Flopsie, promising to come get him as soon as we found Bumi.

"You realize we're probably walking right into a trap," Sokka said.

"I don't think so," I said, glancing down at the baby, who was fast asleep, his little head pillowed on my shoulder. Looking at his peaceful face, it was hard to imagine all the ruthless Fire Nation soldiers were once innocent children like this one. "I'm sure the governor wants his son back as much as we want Bumi."

"It's a new day," Aang agreed. "I've got a good feeling about this."

We boarded Appa and flew over the mountains until we reached Omashu. As Appa circled the top of the mountain, the delivery cart system headquarters, I noticed the massive scaffolding on the mountaintop. In the dark, I hadn't been able to see what they were building, but now, in the broad daylight, it was clear.

"Is that a statue?" Katara asked, leaning over the saddle to peer at the construction.

"It's Fire Lord Ozai," I realized with a hot flash of anger. "How _dare_ they-" Aang shot me a warning look and I seethed silently, clenching my hands into fists. We touched down on the wooden planks and Appa flew off to hide until we called him. Sokka took the child and we stood, waiting.

A few minutes later, three figures appeared in the distance. As they approached, I recognized the one in the front as the girl who had attacked us two nights ago. Behind her stood a girl with large gray eyes dressed in all pink and an innocent half smile on her face, and another girl who wore her hair in a top knot, dressed in blood red, and was watching us with shockingly familiar amber eyes.

A loud machine noise came from above us and I heard very familiar cackling. Hardly daring to believe it, I glanced up to see a metal coffin being lowered on a crane. As it rotated on the chain, I saw my grandfather's grinning face and barely held in my relieved smile.

"Hi everybody!" he cried, sounding as cheerful as ever. He landed directly behind the three girls, who were still watching us suspiciously.

"You brought my brother?" the girl in the front asked. Her voice was disturbingly monotone, as if her surroundings held absolutely no interest for her.

"He's here," Aang replied as the baby patted Sokka's face. "We're ready to trade."

"I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me," I twitched in surprise as the girl in red behind the governor's daughter began to speak, her voice cold and calculating. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not, Princess Azula," the governor's daughter replied. My eyebrows shot up. _Princess Azula? _

"We're trading a two year old for a king," Princess Azula said. "A powerful earthbending king?" She turned to Bumi, who nodded in confirmation. "It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?"

Her voice instantly set me on edge; it just _oozed_ false sincerity. The governor's daughter glanced towards us again. "You're right," she said in a mock-thoughtful voice. I was instantly on guard as she walked forward a few paces.

"The deal's off." She raised her arm and Bumi's cage began to rise again.

"Whoa!" he cried. "See you all later!" Panic and anger shot through me as his cage rose higher and higher into the air. I was _not_ about to lose him again.

"Granddad!" I shouted, sprinting forward. The governor's daughter flung a volley of knives at me, but I jerked a rock from under my feet and leapt to avoid them. Dashing as close to the three girls as I dared, I finally pushed my arms upwards, creating a pillar of rock that catapulted me off the ground and sent me flying through the air towards Bumi's cage.

I felt heat sear the bottom of my soles and gasped as I realized I was about to overshoot the cage. _Oh no_, I thought, but just as I was about to miss, a shadow fell over me and a hand grasped my arm, yanking me upwards.

I glanced up to see Aang flying above me, one hand gripping my arm and the other his staff. He zoomed around Bumi's cage, dropping me on the top with a thud before twisting around to the other side and landing.

"Aang, your head!" I cried, realizing that his tattoos were now exposed.

"She already saw me, it doesn't matter," Aang said frantically.

"Kioni? Aang? Is that you?" Bumi asked. "When did you get here?"

"Don't worry, grandpa, we'll get you out of here," I assured him. Aang took a deep breath and began to blow frosty air onto the metal chain links, freezing them the way he'd frozen Flopsie's chains.

I glanced downwards to see Sokka climbing over the edge of the platform while Katara single-handedly battled the two other girls. "Come on, hurry up," I urged him as we rose higher into the air.

"Aang, stop your blowing for a minute!" Bumi insisted. I raised my eyebrows, looking at the decent sized chunk of ice that had formed. What was Bumi talking about? We were almost there...

A huge explosion rocked the top of the scaffolding and my eyes widened as the red-clad girl with the sharp eyes (_Princess Azula_, my adrenaline-shocked mind reminded me) literally flew out from the cloud of dust. She let out a cry as she kicked outward with her foot, spewing blue fire.

_Blue fire?_ My eyes widened and I opened my mouth in a scream, which was promptly cut off as Aang swung a blast of air with his staff and snapped the last chain of the link.

We plummeted towards the ground and Aang seized my hand as the coffin shifted and we moved to balance onto it's front. Aang thrust his hand downwards to create a sphere of air that cushioned our fall as we landed in one of the delivery chutes, whizzing down the tracks.

I crouched on the coffin as we hurtled downwards, with Aang standing behind me and using his staff as a balance beam. I turned around to stare at him incredulously as he laughed giddily.

"What is funny about this situation?!" I yelled over the roar of the wind.

"It's just like old times!" he chuckled.

"Aang, I need to talk to you!" Bumi cried, looking serious for once. "Kioni-"

I didn't hear what he was about to say, because at that moment, a flash of blue came spiraling towards us. Quickly, Aang lifted his staff up and spun it around, dispelling the flames. I looked up to see the Fire Nation princess following us in a cart on the track above us.

Narrowing my eyes, I ripped a chunk of rock from the side of the chute and hurled it at her, but she blasted it apart with a fireball, sending dust and rock chunks everywhere. The two tracks merged into one, meaning that she was right behind us.

"I'll take care of her!" Aang shouted to me. "You work on getting us out of here!" I nodded as Aang maneuvered to the back of the coffin, using his airbending to blast apart the flames the princess sent at us.

I moved my arms rapidly, making the earth slicker and steeper so we moved faster downhill. "Kioni, stop!" Bumi yelled at me. "We need to talk!"

"I know, grandpa," I shouted back over the all the noise. My breath was ripped out of my throat as we rounded a corner and the coffin tottered on it's tracks. Aang and I let out yelps as I quickly worked on straightening our course. "I'm sorry," I whispered quietly, before steeling myself and working on getting out of there.

A loud roar came to my right and I turned to see Appa flying down next to the tracks, Sokka and Katara (and the Fire Nation baby) on his back. "Our ride's here!" I yelled to Aang. Aang slashed his staff, creating a gust of air that sent us flying off the tracks...

... and directly over Appa's head.

"Aaaahh!" I shrieked as we landed hard on one of the tracks before falling onto another. The princess followed us, close on her heels, and I opened my mouth to warn Aang as she sent a pinwheel of blue fire spiraling our way.

But before I could, Bumi jerked his head up, causing a stone pillar to erupt in the middle of the track and smashing the cart.

My jaw dropped, staring at the cloud of dust from the pillar Bumi had just _earthbended._

"You could earthbend?!" Aang cried, expressing my shock. "All along?!"

"Well, they didn't cover my face!" Bumi chuckled. I stared at him in utter disbelief as we slid to the end of the track and Bumi conjured another rock, which he slid on and turned around to face Aang and I as we jumped off.

"I don't understand," Aang said, looking angry. "Why didn't you free yourself?"

"Why did you surrender when Omashu was invaded?" I added, my fists clenching. "What happened to _never give up_?!"

"Listen to me," Bumi said, looking directly at Aang. "There are options in fighting called _jing_. It's a choice of how you direct your energy."

"I know," Aang said, crossing his arms. "There's positive _jing_ when you're attacking and negative _jing_ when you're retreating."

"And neutral _jing_," Bumi and I said at the same time, and my eyes widened in surprise. He turned to smile at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he read the understanding on my face.

"When you do nothing," I finished, comprehending.

"There are three_ jings_?" Aang asked, looking utterly lost.

"Well, technically there are eighty-five," Bumi said. "But let's just focus on the third. Neutral _jing_ is the key to earthbending. It involves waiting and listening for the right moment to strike."

"That's why you surrendered, isn't it?" Aang asked as he finally realized too.

"Yes, and it's why I can't leave now," Bumi replied.

"I guess I need to find someone else to teach me earthbending," Aang sighed before turning to me with a hopeful look on his face. "Maybe Kioni can help me!"

I startled, opening my mouth to protest, but Bumi beat me to it. "Your earthbending teacher will be someone who has mastered neutral jing," he told Aang, before glancing at me. "You need to find someone who waits and listens before striking. I think that's something my granddaughter still needs to master herself."

I hung my head, dejected. "Aang," Bumi said carefully, still looking at me. "Could you give us a moment alone, please?"

Aang glanced at me uncertainly, but I waved him off with my hand. "I'll meet up with you guys at the base," I said, my voice sounding vulnerable even to my own ears. Aang nodded, casting me one last look before he turned the corner and vanished from sight.

"Kioni," Bumi said, but my gaze remained on the floor. "Kioni, look at me." I looked up to meet his olive eyes, expecting disappointment but finding only concern.

"Kioni, this is invasion not your fault," Bumi began.

"How can you say that?" I burst out, feeling the tears behind my eyes again. "You trusted me to keep watch on Prince Zuko to keep our city safe, and I failed! I blew my cover to him because I lost my temper. You must be so disappointed in me. I'm so sorry, grandfather," I finally let the tears flow down my cheeks, my body shaking.

"Kioni, stop," Bumi said sharply. I looked up to meet his gaze in surprise. "This is _not_ your fault, and I could never be disappointed in you. This is not the work of Prince Zuko, and I'll bet he doesn't even know of this invasion. There's no way you could have known this would happen."

I nodded, sniffling slightly and wiping my tears away, my body sagging with relief. _He wasn't mad at me. I didn't do this._

"I can help," I said determinedly. "You said you're waiting for the right moment to strike; I'll help you. I'll keep watch over the Resistance and when the moment is right, we can take back Omashu together."

"No, Kioni," Bumi said seriously. I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. "That is not your destiny. We all have roles to play in ending this war, and yours is very specific."

"My role was to keep an eye on Zuko," I mumbled shamefully. "But I failed."

"Your role is not over yet," Bumi said. My eyes widened.

"You... you want me to go spy on him again?" I asked incredulously. "That'll never work; I told him everything. He hates me; if he ever sees me again he'll probably try to kill me."

"Listen to me," Bumi said, staring directly into my eyes. "There will come a moment, not too long from now, where Prince Zuko will make a decision that could alter the course of the war entirely. _You_ are instrumental in deciding whether he makes the right decision or not."

I stared at Bumi, my mouth agape. "Wh.. What are you talking about?" I sputtered, completely baffled. "I'm never even going to see him again!"

Bumi cocked his head to the side and smiled at me mysteriously. "I must be going now," he said.

"What?!" I cried, stepping forward. "No, you can't leave now! What did you mean about Zuko?"

"Go with Aang and his friends, Kioni," Bumi said wisely. "You will know what I mean soon enough, my flower."

_My flower._ I suddenly remembered something incredibly important.

"I can heal," I blurted, watching as Bumi raised one eyebrow. "I... at the fort at the border. I used some herbs, and I... I healed someone." Bumi didn't look surprised, merely thoughtful.

"You have always been unique, child," he said. "And you are more essential to the outcome of this war that you realize. I promise you, we will meet again when the time is right."

With that, he jerked his head backwards and inched back up the tracks, cackling the whole way. I stood at the bottom watching after him, feeling more alone and confused than ever.

* * *

**Wow, longest chapter ever! But it was an important one. **

**Also, what did you guys think of the _Previously..._ bit? I thought I would try it out. Let me know if you like it or not in your reviews so I know if I should do them for the next chapters!**

**Scroll down and let me know what you thought! :) **

**Next up: The Swamp.**


	15. The Swamp (Part 1)

Aang, Sokka and Katara looked up from their perch on Appa's back as I glided down one of the mountains and into the campsite. They dismounted and ran towards me as I approached, their faces a combination of worry and curiosity.

"What did Bumi say?" Aang asked. I opened my mouth to speak, but unable to find words, I simply slid to my knees in front of them, exhausted.

"Kioni? Kioni!" Katara cried worriedly, crouching down and putting a hand to my forehead. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine," I said, somewhat shakily, catching their concerned looks. "Bumi that I should travel with you guys for now... but I can't be your earthbending teacher, Aang."

"For now?" Sokka asked as Aang slumped, disappointed. I looked into each one of their faces before taking a deep breath.

"There might come a time when... I'll have to leave you," I said, choosing my words carefully. "When I'll have to follow a different path to reach my destiny. I don't know when, and I don't know how long I'll be gone. I just... no matter what happens, I want you guys to know that I'll _always_ have your back."

They stared at me for a minute, looking bemused. Aang nodded first, a kind of understanding forming on his face. He reached forward and hugged me, and was followed by Sokka and Katara.

"You'll always have a place with us," he said, his voice muffled by my shoulder. "Don't forget that." I sniffed, feeling my throat tighten as I hugged them back gratefully.

* * *

Zuko leaned against the back of his ostrich horse and crossed his arms, glaring at the people passing by from under his sun hat. His uncle sat next to him, holding his hat out to the citizens.

"Spare coins for weary travelers?" he called out. Zuko gritted his teeth as one person threw a few copper coins into the hat. This was so, so wrong.

"This is humiliating!" he growled. "We're royalty; these people should be giving us whatever we want."

"They will, if you ask nicely," Iroh replied complacently. "Spare change for a hungry old man?" he asked a young woman dressed in upper class clothes.

"Aw," she smiled in a patronizing way that set Zuko on edge. "Here you go."

"The coin is appreciated," Iroh grinned as she dropped a copper piece into his hat. "But not as much as your smile!" The woman giggled as she walked away and Zuko groaned, smacking his forehead with his palm. Wasn't it bad enough that they had to _beg_ for money? Did his uncle really have to hit on girls half his age as well?

_Since the universe was out to get him,_ Zuko mused grouchily as Iroh winked indiscreetly at another girl,_ apparently so_.

A man with a small wolf's tail and dual broadswords on his back walked up to them, a menacing gleam in his eye. Zuko straightened slightly at the sight of his swords... they were so familiar, and an unbidden longing rose up in the prince's chest.

"How about some entertainment?" the man drawled. "For... a gold piece?" He whipped out the shining coin and Zuko stiffened.

"We're not performers," he scowled.

"Not professional, anyway!" Iroh said, hurrying to stand up. It took all of Zuko's restraint to not smack his forehead again when Iroh began to sing.

_It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se, but the girls in the city they look so pretty!_

"Come on," the man taunted, taking his swords out of his sheaths. Zuko tensed immediately. "We're talking a gold piece here, let's see some action! Dance!"

Zuko clenched his fists in anger as the man began to swipe at Iroh's feet, causing him to jump up and down in a twisted form of dancing.

"They are so sweet, that you really have to meet," Iroh continued to sing, somewhat nervously as he hopped to avoid the blades. "The girls from Ba Sing Se!"

The man let out a cruel, mocking laugh that made Zuko's blood boil. What he would give to firebend this jerk... Zuko gritted his teeth and gave the man his best death glare, mentally setting him on fire.

"Nothing like a fat man dancing for his dinner!" the man howled. "Here you go!" He tossed the piece at Iroh and sauntered away without a backwards glance.

"Such a nice man," Iroh smiled after him, not noticing the way his nephew gripped his knees tightly.

Or the way he glared after the man, the desire for vengance evident in his golden eyes.

* * *

"So, where are we heading?" I asked, breaking the monotonous silence that fell upon our traveling party. We had been flying on Appa for a few hours now, and there hadn't been much talk at all. "Katara?" I asked, turning to look at the water tribe girl who was currently staring at a water tribe scroll.

"Huh? Oh!" she said, turning to face me. "Um, I think we're just going to fly for a while and then land whenever we see a town. I mean, there has to be a master earthbender somewhere, right?"

I raised an eyebrow, turning to look and Sokka, who didn't even notice as he twirled his boomerang. Leaning back, I frowned at the sense of complacency that seemed to have fallen over us.

I didn't speak after that, letting the sleepy quiet hang in the air as we passed into a foggy, cloudy area. Looking down, I could see what appeared to be a massive swamp. The further into the swampy area we flew, the more the fog seemed to penetrate not only our surroundings, but also my mind. I blinked sluggishly, clearing the haze as I realized that we were descending.

"Hey, you taking us down for a reason?" Sokka asked. Clearly, I hadn't been the only one who had noticed. "Aang!" Sokka said sharply when Aang didn't respond. "Why are we going down?"

I looked over the saddle to see Aang jerk upright, as if startled. "What?" he asked, before realizing Appa was heading downwards slowly. "I didn't even notice."

"Are you noticing now?" Sokka asked irritably as our descent began to quicken.

"Is something wrong?" Katara asked, as I stood up behind Sokka.

"I know this is gonna sound weird," Aang said, not looking up. "But I think the swamp is... calling to me."

"Is it telling you where we can get something to eat?" Sokka asked. I rolled my eyes pointedly at him.

"No, I think it wants us to land there," Aang replied.

"Um, Aang, no offense to the swamp," I said, glancing down at the dark green trees uncertainly "But that doesn't look like the friendliest place to land."

"I don't even see any land to land on," Sokka added.

"I don't know," Aang mused. "Bumi said in order to learn earthbending, I'd have to wait and listen. And now I'm actually hearing the earth. Do you want me to ignore it?"

I crouched next to Sokka and Katara as we peered over the edge of the saddle, the creepy fog seeming to rise higher and higher as we flew lower. "Yes," Sokka said.

"I don't know, there's something ominous about that place," Katara added.

"Aang, we should just move on," I said, feeling a shiver creep up my spine despite the warm air. "Besides, you don't want to practice earthbending in a swamp. It's all mud." Appa let out a nervous bellow and Momo chittered in agreement. "Even Appa and Momo don't like it here."

"Okay, okay," Aang said. "If everyone feels so strongly about this, bye swamp. Yip yip!" As Aang flicked Appa's reins and he began to rise again, I let a small sigh of relief escape me. There was something about that place that made my stomach churn unpleasantly, and it had nothing to do with the high altitude.

As we flew upwards and away, I heard a loud rumbling noise, as if the sky had spit out a giant, roaring monster. I turned around and gasped, fear flooding my veins, making my heart beat faster. Following us was a giant tornado that had seemingly come out of nowhere.

"Where did that _come_ from?" I asked, and Sokka and Katara turned, their eyes widening.

"Uh, you better throw in an extra yip," Sokka said nervously. "We gotta move!"

I gripped the saddle as Aang frantically tried to maneuver Appa out of the way of the tornado, but it seemed to follow directly on our heels.

"This isn't normal!" I shouted above the roaring winds. "Tornados aren't supposed to be able to change direction!"

"Tell that to the freak twister!" Sokka yelled back as we were sucked in, screaming. I latched onto the handle as I felt myself being blown backwards. Aang leapt from his spot on Appa's head into the saddle, creating a spinning ball of air that encased the four of us and Appa.

I closed my eyes and clutched Katara and Sokka's arms as we huddled on the bottom of the saddle, feeling our ball of air whirl around and around inside the tornado. Grunting, Aang squeezed his eyes shut and he worked to keep the air bubble intact, but in vain of his efforts, it collapsed, throwing us into the air.

I screamed as I felt myself whirling through the sky, flying directly into a path of trees. As I hit a tree branch and shrieked loudly, falling ungracefully into the swamp with a gigantic splash.

I sat up shakily, pushing the wet hair from out of my eyes and heard groans from next to me. Relief shot through me as I saw Sokka and Katara emerge from the swamp and Aang cushion his fall with an air scooter. We stood up uncertainly, taking in our surroundings.

Thick trees with dark vines wrapping around the branches enclosed us, and dense fog seemed to permeate every inch. A constant buzzing and chirping filled the air and I shivered, stepping closer to the others as we looked around.

"Where's Appa and Momo?" Aang asked. We waded through the waist deep water as Aang scaled a tree, shouting for the sky bison and lemur while we searched around on the ground, but they were nowhere to be found.

"Sokka, you've got an elbow leech," Katara pointed out. Sokka jumped about ten feet in the air, shrieking madly.

"Where?! Where?!"

"Where do you think, dummy?" I crossed my arms as he noticed the black creature hanging from his elbow. Flushing slightly, he peeled it off and flung it back into the water.

"Why do things keep attaching to me?" he grumbled. Aang swung down on a vine, landing in between us.

"You didn't find anything?" I asked.

"No," he replied, confused. "And the tornado... it just disappeared."

"We gotta get out of here," Katara said immediately.

"Agreed," I said. "Aang, I know this place was calling to you, but considered that it attacked us when we didn't answer, I don't think we should stick around."

"The _swamp_ didn't attack us," Sokka said. "It was just a random, freaky tornado. How could a _swamp_ attack anything? But you're right, let's go."

Sokka marched through the water towards a clump of dense vines, the rest of us trailing behind. As he reached the cluster, he pulled out his machete and began to hack them apart violently. I flinched as the vines were torn in half, feeling a strange pricking on the back of my neck.

"Maybe you should be a little nicer to the swamp," Aang said uncertainly.

"These are just plants," Sokka deadpanned. "Do want me to say please and thank you as I swing my machete back and forth?"

"Maybe you should listen to Aang," Katara said. "Something about this place feels... alive."

"I'm sure there are lots of things that are alive here," Sokka replied. "And if we don't want to wind up getting eaten by them, we need to find Appa as fast as we can."

"Sokka, seriously," I murmured, looking around at the plants that seemed to sway menancingly, even though there was no breeze at all. "Every time you hack at those plants, I get a weird prickly feeling."

"Oh, do you get a weird feeling every time you smash apart a rock too?" he asked sarcastically, and I frowned. "Come on guys, this is no time to be environmental. I'm all for saving the planet, but right now we need to save ourselves."

We wandered aimlessly for a few more hours, Sokka leading the way by slashing away plants with his machete and clearing new paths. I suppose I could have taken out my butterfly swords and helped, but the way he was destroying the swamp seemed so... disrespectful.

Soon, the warm golden glow from the sunlight faded into an eerie blue fog that settled over the swamp. The buzzing and chirping noise that had dulled to the background earlier now grew louder and more intense as dusk fell. The uneasy feeling in my stomach had been growing stronger and stronger.

"Appa!" Katara called as we walked along a large tree root. "Momo!"

"There's no way they can hear us," Sokka snapped. "And no way we can see them. We'll have to make camp for the night." He slashed viciously in the air when, the next minute, a swarm of bugs came flying his way.

I jumped backwards, away from the bugs, just as a loud rumbling came from the water below us, releasing a cloud of gas. "What was that?!" Katara asked, worry creeping into her voice.

"Nothing, just swamp gas," Sokka assured her. "Look, there's nothing supernatural going on here." No sooner had the words left his mouth when a piercing scream tore through the air, causing us to leap closer and clutch each other out of shock.

As the shriek sounded again, I noticed a small, chubby bird perched on a tree branch, opening its mouth and emitting that awful sound. "I think we should build a fire," Sokka said, rushing off to chop at one of the tree roots for wood.

"Sokka, the longer we're here, the more I think you shouldn't be doing that," Aang said, holding up his hands.

"No, I asked the swamp," Sokka answered, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Right, swamp?" Sokka shook one of the tree branches, speaking in a high pitched voice: "No problem, Sokka!", before hacking the top off.

Aang looked at him, unimpressed, and I narrowed my eyes. He was going to seriously get us all in big trouble. I didn't know exactly how the swamp would react, but I didn't doubt that it would, somehow.

As Sokka built the fire and we huddled around it for warmth, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something watching us... everywhere.

"Does anyone else get the feeling that we're being watched?" I asked, looking around and drawing my knees to my chest. Glancing around at Katara and Aang's anxious faces, I could guess they felt the same, but Sokka looked utterly unbothered.

"Please," he scoffed. "We're all alone out here." He swung angrily at a small firefly zoomed around his head. Suddenly, it lit up in a giant ball of light, illuminating the hundreds of glowing eyes peering out from the trees around us.

I let out an audible gulp, fear settling into my bones. "Except for them," Sokka said, now sounding scared. We huddled closer together, clutching each other as the eerie chirping sounded all around us.

Somehow, I managed to fall into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

"Momo, stop," I murmured, shifting slightly as I felt his tail curl around my ankle. I tried to move my leg, but his tail only crept higher, twining around my knee and lower thigh. I shrunk in slightly as the slimy tail touched my skin.

Wait.

Slimy?

I jerked upright, the scream not even leaving my mouth fully before I was yanked forward by the vines now completely wrapped around my legs. I struggled madly, hearing the shrieks of the others as they were dragged away.

Thrusting my arms out, I quickly bent the earth around them to cover my arms, anchoring me in place. The vines tugged uselessly at my ankles, trying to pull my back, but I curled my fingers in the ground, holding fast.

As I felt the vines relax slightly, I summoned a sharp rock and sliced through the plants wrapped around my legs before leaping up in a flash and running as fast as I could into the forest. I ducked around a tree, letting out a gasp as I felt something hard and slimy whip at one of my calves.

Whirling around, I took out the butterfly swords hanging on my back and began to swing at the vines that were surrounding me. They seemed to come from all directions, and no matter how many I sliced apart, more replaced them. I slashed through a clump of plants and scrambled for cover, bringing up a boulder to close the opening behind me.

I let out a sigh of relief as the vines that had slipped into the crevice behind me went limp under the weight of the boulder. Turning around, my relief faded to trepidation as I took in the completely unfamiliar scenery around me. I was standing on a small cliff, with an expanse of mossy trees and swamp water in front of me.

I was totally lost.

"Aang?" I shouted, looking around for the others. "Sokka? Katara?" My voice echoed eerily in the foggy swampland, but nobody responded. I leapt down from the plateau, landing with a small splash and waded through the water, continuing to call for my friends as I looked around.

About an hour later, I slumped against a tree, tired and ready to give up. The dense night fog had given way to golden morning sunshine once more, and shining beams of light filtered through the dark canopy above. I sighed, stood up from the tree, and pushed away a clump of branches to resume my search.

As I stepped into the little clearing behind the plants, I noticed the entire area bathed in soft golden light. The water seemed stiller here, and the trees weren't quietly buzzing with life. I walked further into the middle of the clearing, simultaneously disturbed by the utter silence and drawn closer somehow.

That's when I noticed a figure dressed in all black standing at the other end of the small pond. "Hello?" I called, stepping closer. The figure didn't move, didn't answer. I waded faster through the water, suddenly desperate to reach the strange figure. I extended my hand, but just as I was about to touch it's shoulder, it turned around.

I found myself staring into the empty eyes of the Blue Spirit.

I gasped, recoiling immediately and stumbling backwards. The eerie mask vanished as quickly at it had appeared. Rattled, I stretched my neck, trying to see farther into the trees. I could still feel my heart beating erratically in my chest, and the fog seemed to grow denser, seeping in through the trees and filling the clearing with an eerie haze.

"Father, please!"

I whirled back towards where I had entered and clapped a hand over my mouth in shock. _This isn't happening,_ I thought in horror, staring at a small figure with a ponytail, prostrated in front of a taller, faceless man with a crown piece in his hair.

The people seemed to made of a foggy, shimmery material, like an illusion, but they looked so familiar. The taller figure raised its hand high above his head, and I realized with a jolt what was about to happen before it did.

"No!" I cried, lurching forward. I squeezed my eyes shut as a blinding light flashed, engulfing the figures and sending me falling forward into the swamp. A horrible scream broke through the air.

As the light cleared, I looked up to see only the smaller figure, hunched on it's side and shaking. I approached it warily, filled with apprehension but yet unable to stay away.

I let out a stifled gasp as the I saw the figure's face, burned and disfigured. The top layer of skin had been burned away, leaving the raw, bloody wound exposed. I could smell the awful stench of burned flesh through the air. The eyes were scrunched up in pain and the mouth opened in an agonized, silent scream.

"Zuko..." I whispered, utterly horrified. I reached out towards him, jumping back when his eyes opened, blazing with golden fire. He stiffened, standing up jerkily as if suddenly immune to the pain, staring at me with eyes that seemed lifeless yet still brimmed with fury. I stepped back a few paces, frightened.

"You betrayed me," he spoke. My cry of surprise caught in my throat at his voice, sounding so familiar yet distorted to sound utterly emotionless, filled with a cold, dead certainty.

"I..." I walked backwards, trying to get away, but I tripped on a tree root and fell bottom first into the swamp. I scrambled back as Zuko walked towards me, seeming to grow larger and larger, blood from the wound still running down his ravaged face.

"You betrayed me," he intoned again. I opened my mouth, fear taking my voice as I shakily tried to get up and run away. "You left me to die! You lied to me! I trusted you!"

I choked, feeling tears pool in my eyes as I looked around desperately, trying to get away. Smoke began to issue from Zuko's body, curling around me until I couldn't breathe. I squeezed my eyes shut as his voice echoed in the clearing, booming and terrifying.

_You lied to me._

_I trusted you._

"I'm sorry!" I screamed, throwing a protective hand over my face as smoke pressed in on me, suffocating me. "I'm sorry!"

The smoke suddenly vanished and a cold wind blew over me, leaving the clearing deadly silent once more. Tentatively, I peeled my hand away from my face to look around.

Nothing.

Gasping for breath, I shot upwards and dashed towards the other side of the pond as fast as I could. I stumbled over a tree root, landing with a splash and then picking myself up frantically in my attempt to get out there. I whipped my swords out of their case and swung desperately at the vines until I could escape.

Squeezing through the vines, I ran into the depths of the swamp, not knowing or caring where I was going. I slashed at anything in my way, not even noticing the harsh, panicked breaths that wracked my body and the tears pouring down my face.

All I knew was that I need to get far away as quickly as possible.

* * *

**I originally wrote this as one chapter... but when I finished it was nearly 8,000 words, so I split it.**

**So, I didn't get much feedback for the "Previously..." aspect of the story last time. A couple of people said they liked it, so I wrote it again this time but I felt like it didn't have the same effect. I'm asking again, but this time let me know if: **

**a) you want me to write it for all chapters  
b) just for certain chapters (the ones where it makes more sense - kind of like what they do on the actual show)  
c) don't write it at all**

**Please respond in your review whether you want option a, b, or c and I'll decide accordingly! Thanks so much! :)**

**Next up: The Swamp, Part 2.**

**UPDATE: For those of you confused as to why you're seeing this chapter again, I took it down and reposted it without the first part. **


	16. The Swamp (Part 2)

_Previously on The Earth on Fire..._

_"The swamp didn't attack us," Sokka said. "It was just a random, freaky tornado. How could a swamp attack anything? But you're right, let's go."_

_Sokka marched through the water towards a clump of dense vines, the rest of us trailing behind. As he reached the cluster, he pulled out his machete and began to hack them apart violently. I flinched as the vines were torn in half, feeling a strange pricking on the back of my neck._

_~*•°•*~_

_Thrusting my arms out, I quickly bent the earth around them to cover my arms, anchoring me in place. The vines tugged uselessly at my ankles, trying to pull my back, but I curled my fingers in the ground, holding fast._

_Whirling around, I took out the butterfly swords hanging on my back and began to swing at the vines that were surrounding me. I slashed through a clump of plants and scrambled for cover, bringing up a boulder to close the opening behind me._

_I let out a sigh of relief as the vines that had slipped into the crevice behind me went limp under the weight of the boulder. Turning around, my relief faded to trepidation as I took in the completely unfamiliar scenery around me. I was standing on a small cliff, with an expanse of mossy trees and swamp water in front of me._

_I was totally lost._

_~*•°•*~_

_"Father, please!"_

_I whirled back towards where I had entered and clapped a hand over my mouth in shock. This isn't happening, I thought in horror, staring at a small figure with a ponytail, prostrated in front of a taller, faceless man with a crown piece in his hair._

_~*•°•*~_

_"Zuko..." I whispered, utterly horrified. I reached out towards him, jumping back when his eyes opened, blazing with golden fire. He stiffened, standing up jerkily as if suddenly immune to the pain, staring at me with eyes that seemed lifeless yet still brimmed with fury. I stepped back a few paces, frightened._

_"You betrayed me," he spoke. _

_~*•°•*~_

_"I'm sorry!" I screamed, throwing a protective hand over my face as smoke pressed in on me, suffocating me. "I'm sorry!"_

_The smoke suddenly vanished and a cold wind blew over me, leaving the clearing deadly silent once more. Tentatively, I peeled my hand away from my face to look around._

_Nothing._

_Gasping for breath, I shot upwards and dashed towards the other side of the pond as fast as I could. __Squeezing through the vines, I ran into the depths of the swamp, not knowing or caring where I was going. I slashed at anything in my way, not even noticing the harsh, panicked breaths that wracked my body and the tears pouring down my face._

_All I knew was that I need to get far away as quickly as possible._

* * *

I burst through a clearing and directly into a body, which toppled forward. We fell down off the tree branch and flew into someone else, sliding through a tangle of vines and landing in a heap at the bottom of a tree.

Standing up, I realized I'd crashed directly into Sokka, and we'd fallen to land on top of Aang and Katara, who were currently lying below us. I steadied myself on the tree trunk, trying to calm my breaths and wiping my eyes as the others got up, groaning.

"What do you guys think you're doing!?" Sokka yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Well, I've been wandering around looking for you!" Katara retorted immediately.

"I couldn't find you guys anywhere!" I cried, trying not to collapse with overwhelming relief.

"I was chasing some girl," Aang piped up, and we all turned to look at him, confused.

"What girl?" Katara asked as Aang helped her up.

"I don't know," Aang answered. "I heard laughing and I saw some girl in a fancy dress."

"Well, there must be a tea party somewhere, and we just didn't get our invitations!" Sokka cried, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Sokka, shut up," I snapped, the tension finally reaching a boil. He turned towards me and opened his mouth to retort, stopping when he saw the look on my face. "Aang's not the only one who saw someone."

"Who did you see?" Aang asked. I turned away, unable to meet Aang's curious gaze. I couldn't tell them who I'd really seen, that would just bring a whole bunch of awkward and outraged reactions.

"Someone from my past," I said, looking at the marshy ground. "Someone I left behind."

"I thought I saw Mom," Katara said softly, and I turned to her, surprised and sympathetic.

"Look, we're all just tired, and hungry, and our minds are playing tricks on us," he said. "That's why we all saw things out here."

"You saw something too?" Katara asked. Sokka turned away from us.

"I thought I saw Yue," he admitted, and my expression softened. "But that doesn't mean anything. I think about her all the time! And you saw Mom, who you miss all the time. Kioni saw someone from her past, who she obviously regrets leaving." I opened my mouth to protest, but Aang cut me off.

"I didn't even know the girl I saw," Aang said. "And all our visions led us right here."

"Okay..." Katara said uncertainly. "So where's here? The middle of the swamp?"

"Yeah," Aang answered, looking around. "The center." As I followed his line of sight, I realized how he could tell we were at the center - everything felt stronger here, like this was the life source of a giant, giant creature. The air smelled fresher, the plants looked greener, even the buzzing of life had grown stronger and more vibrant.

"It's the heart of the swamp!" Aang realized. "It's been calling us here. I knew it."

"It's just a tree!" Sokka protested. "It can't call anyone. For the last time, there is nothing after us. And there is nothing magical happening here!"

Just then, a giant swampy monster erupted out of the water behind us. It stood nearly twenty feet tall, it's face covered by a wooden mask and long arms made of out vines swinging around.

"Seriously, Sokka!?" I yelled, diving out of the way as it lashed an arm between us. "You have _got_ to stop saying things like that!"

We scattered, each running in different directions again. As soon as my feet touched the dirt, I propelled myself upwards into a tree on a column of soil to avoid the monster's viney grasp. I heard a cry and a thunk and looked down to see vines wrap around Sokka's legs, dragging him stomach first through the swamp.

The creature flung him around and back towards the water before Aang sent an air slice at it, chopping off it's arm and causing Sokka to fall into the swamp with a large splash. To my horror, the creature merely straightened up, the vines regenerating and causing the arm to grow back to full size.

"Well, this is just fantastic," I muttered, as the monster simply snatched Sokka back up and raced down the river. Katara followed him on a wave of water as I leapt from tree to tree in hot pursuit.

As Katara send a tidal wave crashing down on the monster, I swung towards it on a vine, using one sword to slash at the section holding Sokka, catching his arm before he fell twenty feet into the water. I dropped him on the ground, landing in a crouch a few feet away and jumped just in time to avoid the plants trying to creep around my ankles.

Flipping backwards in the air, I somersaulted multiple times before landing with a splash next to Katara. She swung her arms in an arc to send another giant wave towards the monster, buffeting it backwards several feet. A familiar panicked cry split the air as Sokka was lifted up into the air once more.

"You have got to be kidding me," I groaned. "Stop getting captured, Sokka!" I yelled at him.

"Gee, thanks for the advice!" he yelled back as he was swung from side to side. "I'll keep that in mind!"

Rolling my eyes at him, I turned to Katara. "Can you split the water?" I asked her. She nodded and extended her arms, causing the water to rise up on both sides of us and exposing the ground below.

I raised my arms to pull out a chunk of earth, gritting my teeth when it came up slowly and sloppily, heavy with the swamp water. _Mud_, I grumbled to myself, exerting extra force to keep the earth clump together. _I hate mud._

Hardening the glob of mud, I flung it at the monster's arm, but it simply shot a column of vines at me and Katara, causing us to lose our balance and go flying backwards. I let out an _oof!_ as I collided with a tree, groaning slightly as I slid down the trunk.

Shaking myself off, I ran towards the monster again, watching as Aang landed on its head and created a giant tornado that twisted the vines together so it looked like some sort of slimy ice cream cone. I leapt up onto a tree branch behind Katara and she encased Sokka in a ball of ice before maneuvering him out of the monster's grasp.

I summoned a large stone and catapulted it forward, the force of it sending me flying over the monster's head while the rock ripped through it's middle, leaving a gaping hole in it's wake. Nearly missing a tree branch, I grabbed it and swung around a few times with the momentum before steadying myself atop it.

The monster had already closed the hole, but was bent forward as Aang held it down with a massive volume of air. Unfortunately, the monster groaned and bucked Aang off, sending him flying into the trees. Katara began to move her arms furiously, creating sharp discs of water that sliced relentlessly at the monsters arms.

"There's someone in there!" Sokka shouted suddenly from the shore. "He's bending the vines!" I peered closely from my treetop as Katara continued to attack, and as she sliced at the center, I caught a glimpse of a tanned, human arm. Katara let out a cry and swung around in a circle, slicing the monster's mask in half with her water.

The monster teetered slightly before a large column of vines shot towards Katara, raising her several stories high. "Katara!" I screamed.

There was a gust of air as Aang landed in front of the monster, shoving outwards to blow away the vines. "Why did you call me here if you just wanted to kill us?" Aang demanded.

"Wait!" a gruff voice came from within the vines. I blinked, surprised, as the vines melted away, revealing a short, pudgy man with wild gray hair, wearing nothing but a loincloth made of plants. "I didn't call you here."

We all glanced at each other suspiciously. "We were flying over, and I heard something calling to me, telling me to land," Aang said, not relaxing his fighting stance.

"He's the avatar," Sokka explained. "Stuff like that happens to us a lot."

"The avatar?" the old man questioned. "Come with me." He started to walk away, gesturing for us to follow him. I raised my eyebrows at the others, who all looked uncertain except Aang, who started after the man.

"Wait!" I said, and Aang turned around. "Are you sure this is safe? He just attacked us!"

"I think it's okay," Aang replied, looking back at the man. "I have a good feeling about this."

"The same feeling that got us into this mess?" I muttered under my breath, but followed after him nonetheless.

* * *

Zuko stalked through the marketplace, his head lowered and his hands in the pockets of his mud colored pants. Lifting his head slightly, he glared around at the different stalls with narrowed eyes. He hated this Earth Kingdom marketplace, with its filthy stalls and unimportant peasants walking around.

Zuko tried not to growl as he remembered he was one of the peasants. No, he was worse than a peasant, he was a _beggar_.

"Watch it, scum!"

Zuko stumbled as someone bumped his shoulder hard, sending him sprawling on the ground. In a flash, he twisted on the ground and leapt up into a fighting position, fists clenched. With an angered jolt, Zuko recognized the seedy face of the man who had taunted his uncle.

"Going to fight me?" the man sneered, his hands shifting subtly to his swords. Zuko clenched his teeth and shook with anger, wanting more than anything to send a blast of fire at this insolent jerk.

_You'll be exposed,_ the rational voice in his head reminded him, sounding uncannily like his Uncle. _Let it go, Prince Zuko. He is not worth it._

Letting out a heavy breath, Zuko relaxed his position and fixed his eyes on the ground.

"That's what I thought," the other man smirked, shoulder checking Zuko once more as he made his way forward. Zuko watched him with hateful eyes.

As he turned back around to look for the rice his Uncle had sent him to get, a flash of blue caught Zuko's eye. He glanced to his left and inhaled sharply when he saw a two familiar blue and green masks hanging on one of the stalls. He knew the masks better than any in the world - and he was sure he'd never see them again, that they were lying on the ocean floor along with the wreckage of his ship. Before he knew what he was doing, Zuko's feet were carrying him towards the stall.

"You lookin' at the masks, son?" the shopkeeper asked, leaning against the wall. "Sure are beauties, wonderful craftsmanship too. Shame, really, since nobody wants to buy 'em anymore."

"Why not?" Zuko asked. A surprised look crossed the shopkeeper's face.

"You must not be from around here, huh?" the shopkeeper said. "Those are the same masks the Blue and Green Spirits've got - and they're wanted criminals. Nobody wants to be spotted by a Fire Nation soldier wearing that." Zuko tipped his hat down so the shopkeeper would not see his face.

"How much for the blue one?" he asked.

"You really want it?" the shopkeeper said. Zuko gave a terse nod. "Well, I s'pose you can have it for a gold piece. You'd be doin' me a favor by takin' it, really. I was 'bout to throw 'em out, weren't selling anyways."

Zuko handed him the gold piece on an impulse, taking the mask off its hook and turning it over in his hands. A strange feeling of relief washed over him, as if a puzzle piece had been slotted in the correct spot.

The shopkeeper watched Zuko curiously as he gazed down at the mask. "Now, listen here son," the shopkeeper said suddenly. "Don't be goin' around playin' Blue Spirit now, y'hear? Those soldiers ain't nobody to be trifled with."

"Don't worry," Zuko said, his lips quirking upwards, unseen by the shopkeeper. He glanced down again at the blue mask, a plan forming in his head. "Niether am I."

As he walked away from the stall, the mask in his hands, he turned and glanced over his shoulder. The green mask stood there, swaying in the slight breeze, looking strangely lonely without its companion.

Ignoring the ache in his chest, Zuko bowed his head and continued walking.

* * *

The man led us high up the roots of the giant tree, until we towered over the rest of the swamp and the other trees looked like little broccoli, spread out in front of us in an endless sea of green.

"Who even are you?" I questioned the man suspiciously, still not entirely convinced that he was a friend.

"I protect the swamp from those who want to hurt it," he answered. "Like this fellow with his big knife." I swung around to glare at Sokka, who didn't look abashed in the slightest.

"See, completely reasonable," he said. "Not a monster, just a regular guy defending his home. Nothing mystical about it."

"Oh, but the swamp is a mystical place," the old man said. "It's sacred. I reached enlightenment right here, under the banyan grove tree." He led us to a secluded spot, sitting down the lotus position. I glanced around before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. Something about this place did seem... enchanted.

"See, this whole swamp is actually one big tree, spread out over miles," he explained. "The branches spread and sink and take root and spread some more, one big living organism, just like the entire world."

"I get how the tree is one big thing," Aand said. "But the whole world?"

"Sure," the man said. "You think you're any different from me? Or your friends? Or this tree? If you listen hard enough, you can hear every living thing breathing together. You can feel everything growing. We're all living together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree."

"But what did our visions mean?" Katara asked.

"In the swamp, we see visions of people we've lost," he explained. "People we loved. People we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they're not; we're still connected to them. Time is an illusion, and so is death."

I stared at the old man, touched by his words. Inexplicably, my mind flashed back to the vision I'd had in the swamp, a distorted Zuko, condemning my betrayal. Although we were on different sides, miles and miles away from each other, both literally and figuratively, I did feel a strange connection to him that I couldn't quite explain. But what did it mean?

"What about my vision?" Aang asked. "It was someone I had never met."

"You're the avatar," the man said with a cheeky smile. "You tell me."

"Time is an illusion," Aang repeated, his brow furrowing. "So, it's someone... I will meet." The old man nodded, grinning.

"Sorry to interrupt the lesson," Sokka said, not sounding sorry at all. "But we still need to find Appa and Momo."

"I think I know how to find them," Aang said, leaning forward and pressing one hand against the roots of the tree. "Everything is connected..." He closed his eyes for a moment, before they snapped open again, wide with fear and urgency.

"We gotta hurry!" he cried, leaping down from the tree. "Appa's in trouble!"

As Aang dashed off towards the forest, the rest of us followed, running close behind. We ran through the trees, ducking under plants and vines as Aang blew them away in his haste. As we went deeper into the forest, I could hear something that sounded like... singing?

Aang leapt through a thicket of vines in front of us, sending a giant air slice forward. I followed him, maneuvering into the clearing just as the air slice cut through two wooden canoes and Momo flew out of a burlap sack, chittering madly. Katara leapt up behind Aang and helped him stop the flow of water that came rushing his way.

"Hey, you guys are waterbenders!" she said, looking down at the man bending the wave, who was dressed similarly to the old man, except he was much taller and skinner and wore a leaf hat.

"You too?" he spoke with the same quirky twang. "That means we're kin! Hey, Huu!" he cried as the old man came up behind me. "How you been?"

"Oh, y'know," Huu said. "Scared some folks, swung some vines, the usual."

"What are you doing with Appa?" Aang cried, looking angry.

"We didn' know he belonged to 'nyone!" the waterbender cried, putting his hands up. "We was just fixin' to eat 'im, but if he's yours, I reckon we'd better return 'im." Appa let out a loud growl in agreement.

"We's real sorry," the waterbender said. "How's about you comes have dinner with us! My name's Due, and this is Tho." He gestured to his slightly stockier companion.

"Well..." Sokka drawled uncertainly before his stomach rumbled loudly, interrupting him. "I suppose we could," he finished stiffly as the rest of us hid our laughter.

Seated around a campfire a few minutes later, Tho handed me a large piece of meat on a stick. I chewed in thoughtfully, the earthy taste spreading across my tongue. _It's not bad, actually,_ I mused.

"How's your possum chicken?" Due asked.

"Tastes like arctic hen," Sokka commented, before turning to the swamp people. "So why were you guys so interested in eating Appa anyway? You have plenty of those big things wandering around."

"You want me to eat old Slim?" Due asked, looking offended. "He's like a member of the family!" He tossed a fish back into the mouth of the giant catfish gator, who swallowed it in one gulp. I scooted closer to Katara, not liking the look in its beady black eyes.

"Nice Slim!" Sokka said nervously, tossing it what was left of his kebab, but the gator snarled and snapped its jaws angrily, causing Sokka to cower back.

"He don't eat no bugs!" Due laughed. "That's people food!" I frowned, suddenly noticing the spindly legs on the meat I'd been about to bite into. I made a face, holding it at arms length.

"Where did you say you was from again?" Tho asked.

"The South Pole," Katara replied.

"Didn't know there was waterbenders anywhere but here," Tho said. "They got a nice swamp down there, do they?"

"No, it's all ice and snow," Katara said. The swamp benders exchanged horrified looks and I hid my smirk behind my hand.

"Hmm... no wonder you left," Tho said.

"Well, I hope you realize that nothing strange was going on here," Sokka said, somewhat obnoxiously "Just a bunch of greasy people living in a swamp."

"And the visions?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I told you, we were hungry," he said. "I'm eating a giant bug!" He bit one end off a wasp looking creature, and I cringed.

"But what about when the tree showed me where Appa and Momo were?" Aang pointed out.

"That's avatar stuff, it doesn't count," Sokka said, waving his hand.

"How did you make the tornado that sucked us down, then?" Katara turned to Huu.

"Tornado?" he asked, looking confused. "I can't do anything like that. I just bend the water in the plants."

I turned to Sokka, raising an eyebrow and smirking knowingly. "How do you explain _that_, oh wise one?" He crossed his arms and glared at me.

"Well, no accounting for weather," he answered. I scoffed, rolling my eyes and biting into my possum chicken again.

The next morning, we packed up our stuff to leave and boarded Appa. I giggled with Katara as we watched Sokka fend off advances from Slim, who seemed to have taken a liking to him and was now trying to lick him and tickle him with his whiskers.

"Thanks for everything, Huu!" Aang called as he flew up and landed on Appa's head.

"Take care, lil' avatar!" Huu said back, waving. "Remember what I said about the world!"

"I'll remember," Aang assured him and Huu smiled proudly. "We'll meet again, swamp benders!" We all waved furiously as Appa took off, rising above the dense treetops and into the the open air.

"You really think we'll see them again?" I asked Aang as we pressed forward.

"I know it," Aang replied, staring across the swamp. "After all, we are all connected."

* * *

Than ambled down the dark alleyway, whistling a jaunty tune. He'd just come from the tavern, so his belly was full and mead and his pockets were jangling with coins. He chortled to himself as he remembered how he'd beaten his companions in poker - a lot of blithering idiots, they were.

A loud clang broke Than out of his alcohol-hazed thoughts. He stopped and glanced around suspiciously, but the street was empty as ever. "Who's there?" he called, immediately reaching back to grasp at the hilts of his dual broadswords.

A thump caused him to whirl around, whipping out his swords, but before Than could do anything, a hand reached out and caught his wrist firmly. Letting out a cry as he was flipped over, Than landed hard on his back as the swords clattered out of his hands.

Than struggled into a sitting position and looked around furiously for his attacker. He let out a gasp of fear as he looked up at a figure looming above him, barely visible due to his black clothing.

The figure wore a grinning blue mask and grasped Than's broadswords in his hands. Than let out an angry growl and lurched drunkenly to his feet, wobbling slightly as the effects of alcohol took their toll.

Behind the mask, Zuko's lips twisted up into a smile.

* * *

**Thank you all for voting in the last chapter! Most people voted B, so that's what I'll do. One person said that it makes sense to do it with split chapters, and that makes a lot of sense, so I'm probably going to do that for the most part. **

**I'll be skipping the next episode (Avatar Day) since it's really a filler one and there's not much for me to add, so you can just assume it goes the same way it does in the episode. **

**Revier let me know how you liked this chapter! :)**

**Next up: The Blind Bandit.**


	17. The Blind Bandit (Part 1)

"There's a town down below!" Katara called, pointing at the cluster of houses that looked tiny from Appa's altitude. "Let's land there for the night."

"Hopefully it won't be a repeat of the last town we went to," I muttered, lying on my back and bouncing a rock up and down. "Seriously, worst field trip ever."

"It wasn't a field trip," Katara said, sounding slightly irritated. "We were escaping the Rough Rhinos."

"Yeah, and we escaped to a town where everyone hated Aang," I replied, making the rock spin in circles. "And locked him up and tried to boil him in oil. What a sanctuary!"

"Gotta agree with Kioni," Sokka said while Katara huffed, crossing her arms. "I think we need to be a _little _more careful about choosing our landing spots."

"How many Avatar-hating towns do you think are out there?" Katara snapped. "I don't think that's going to be a common occurrence!"

"There's an entire Avatar-hating nation, in case you'd forgotten," I pointed out. Katara's left eye twitched and she looked like she was about to explode.

"Okay, okay," Aang called from Appa's head. "We're all a little hungry and tired, let's just stop here. We need to restock on food and supplies anyway. And if they turn out to hate me to, I'll just win them over like I did in Chin!" He popped up and shot us a beaming grin.

"Do the words 'almost boiled in oil' mean nothing to you?" I muttered, leaning back against the saddle again as Appa began to descend.

As it turned out, the town was named Gaoling, and did not in fact harbor an unreasonable resentment towards the Avatar. It was actually quite a nice town, filled with bustling shops and restaurants The people seemed pretty well off as they ambled around wearing silk robes and tunics and adorned jewelry.

"Oooh, can we go shopping?" I asked, catching sight of the rows of stalls in the marketplace.

"Yes!" Sokka cried, jumping forward. "It's been too long!" I watched with raised eyebrows as Sokka dashed off to the stalls, ooh-ing and aah-ing over everything.

"Is that normal?" I asked Katara, who was watching her brother with a long-suffering expression.

"Unfortunately, yes," she sighed, moving to follow him.

After about an hour, three of us were ready to move on, having seen everything there was to see. I found a wonderful necklace with a small Earth Kingdom emblem made of stone that was both stylish and simplistic and went great with my tunic. Katara picked up a small hairband and Aang found some Earth Kingdom trinkets that he loved. We were all shopped out and ready to grab a bite to eat.

Of course, the only person still having trouble deciding what to get was Sokka.

"It's pricey," he said, staring at the green bag thoughtfully. "But I really do like it!" He turned to Katara with a slightly pleading expression.

"Then you should get it," Katara said in a rational tone. "You deserve something nice."

"I do, don't I?" Sokka beamed. His face fell the next second. "But, no, it's too expensive, I shouldn't."

I rolled my eyes as Katara responded in a weary voice, "Alright, then don't." Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, Aang and I got up and began to walk out of the store, with Katara following and Sokka plodding morosely in the back.

Not two seconds had passed before he dashed back to the store and grabbed the bag off it's stand. "You know what, I'm gonna get it!" he grinned, looking way happier than any normal guy should over a bag.

"Pssst, hey!" I turned to my left to see a man hunched over and leering at me slightly. I stepped closer to Aang, stiffening slightly.

"You kids like earthbending?" he asked, holding out a small piece of paper. "You like throwing rocks? Then check out Master Yu's Earthbending Academy!" He shot us a cheesy grin and placed an advert in Aang's hand before walking off.

I rolled my eyes. Advertisers. Figured.

"Look, there's a coupon on the back!" Aang exclaimed. "The first lesson's free!"

"Who knows, this Master Yu could be the earthbending teacher you've been looking for," Katara said.

"Are you sure?" I asked, looking at the advert suspiciously. "This seems too simple. Nothing is ever this simple."

"No harm in checking it out," Aang said, ambling towards the address printed on the flyer.

"But... food," I bemoaned as the others followed Aang away from the delicious smelling stalls. As we neared the academy, I caught sight of a small food cart and perked up.

"You go for your earthbending lesson," I told Aang hastily, already beginning to walk towards the cart. "I am _starving_."

One hour and three Pau buns later, Aang walked out the academy, looking dejected and covered in dust. "He's not the one," he frowned, shaking clay out of his ear.

"'hat did I tell 'ou?" I mumbled through a mouth full of dough. Katara shot me a dirty look and I swallowed. "Nothing is ever that easy."

"I think the Boulder is gonna win the belt at Earth Rumble Six!" We turned towards the entrance to see two of the earthbenders in Aang's class walking out and talking animatedly.

"He's gonna have to fight his way through the best earthbenders in the world to even get a shot at the champ!" the other guy protested, looking dubious.

"Excuse me!" Aang called, shooting up and flying towards them. "But where is this earthbending tournament exactly?" The other guys stopped and turned to look down at Aang, nasty smirks forming on their faces.

"It's on the island of Noneya," the first guy taunted. "Noneya business!" They walked off, laughing, and I narrowed my eyes as Aang slumped.

Jerks.

"Noneya business!" Sokka laughed, wiping away a tear. "Oh, I gotta remember that one!" I shot him a glare as Katara walked towards Aang and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry," she said before turning to give me a mischievous glance. "Kioni and I've got this." I grinned as I realized what she was planning.

"Hey, strong guys!" Katara called as we ran after them, waving. "Wait up!"

They turned around to face us, their sneers fading into surprised looks as they saw us. I fluffed my hair slightly and widened my eyes, giving them my best pout.

"The thing is," I said in a falsely high voice. "We _really_ wanted to go see that earthbending tournament."

"It would mean a lot if you told us where it was," Katara added, batting her eyelashes. I tried not to snort with laughter as the two guys nearly fell over themselves as they ran towards us.

"In fact," I said, putting a hand up and fanning my face. "We may even need escorts... who knows if two _delicate_ girls like us will be able to handle a macho earthbending tournament by ourselves."

"We'll take you!" the first guy piped up.

"It's just at the outskirts of town, at Xin Fu's stadium," the second guy added eagerly. "You can't miss it!"

"Thank you _so_ much," Katara simpered. "If only there was some way to repay you for your kindness... Kioni?" She turned to me, winking, and I gave her a devious grin.

"I think I can think something," I smirked. The boys' infatuated smiles were wiped off their faces as I thrust my arms out, sending them flying backwards as a slab of stone slammed into them. They landed hard, stunned, but before they could speak Katara whipped a column of water out of her pouch and froze them to the walls.

"That's what you get for being rude to my friend," I scoffed as Katara splashed them in the face one last time before we flounced away, giggling.

"You ready to find an earthbending teacher?" Katara cried as we ran up to Aang and Sokka. "Because we're going to Earth Rumble Six!"

"How'd you get them to tell you?" Aang asked us, bemused.

"Oh, you know," I smirked as Katara and I exchanged smug looks. "A girl has her ways."

* * *

"This is so exciting," I said as we walked into the giant stone stadium. I glanced around at the high walls and the massive arena in the center. "I've never been to an earthbending tournament before."

"I don't know why you're so excited," Katara sniffed, looking around in distaste. "It's just an excuse for a bunch of guys to throw rocks at each other."

"Exactly," I grinned as we sat down.

"Hey, front row seats," Aang commented. "I wonder why nobody's sitting here." A loud roar came from in front of us and we all screamed as we saw the boulder rocketing directly towards us. Flinching back, I threw my arms out to smash the rock into dust before it could crush us all.

"That answer your question?" Sokka asked shakily. I beamed from ear to ear.

"That was awesome!" I cried, pumping my fist. Katara stared at me incredulously.

From the stage, a man with long, greasy black hair rose himself up on a pillar and threw his fist in the air. "Welcome to Earth Rumble Six!" he announced. "I am your host, Xin Fu!" I cheered along with the rest of the audience as Katara heaved a long suffering sigh.

"The rules are simple," Xin Fu said. "Just knock your opponent out of the ring, and you win!" Xin Fu launched himself up to the commentator's podium and I cheered madly as the first competitors walked out.

"Round one!" Xin Fu yelled. "The Boulder versus the big, bad Hippo!" The Boulder was a tall, heavily muscular man and the Hippo was an extremely large, heavyweight lump of a person who appeared like he only had four teeth.

"Go Boulder!" I cheered as Sokka clapped excitedly next to me.

"You don't even know who he is!" Katara cried, exasperated.

"You may be big, Hippo, but you ain't bad!" the Boulder cried. "The Boulder's gonna win this in a landslide!"

"Hippo mad!" the Hippo grunted and I smirked. This guy probably had more rocks in his head than in the entire arena. We watched as the Boulder and the Hippo squared off in a match of brute strength, shoving gigantic rocks at each other randomly and showing off their muscles without any real strategy.

I frowned, crossing my arms, as Sokka went crazy cheering and clapping. "Yeah! Show him, Boulder!" he yelled.

"They're just using their muscles," I protested.

"I know, isn't it great?" Sokka grinned. I huffed, suddenly not enjoying the tournament as much. There was _way_ more to earthbending than just raw power.

"How about the Boulder?" Katara asked Aang. "He's got some good moves."

"I don't know," Aang shrugged. "Bumi said I had to wait for someone who listened to the earth. Like Kioni said, this guy's just listening to his big muscles."

Despite my disappointment at their narrowminded view of earthbending, it was hard not to get caught up in the excitement of the match. I boo'ed along with Sokka as the next opponent, a bulky Fire Nation man, walked out, waving a Fire Nation flag, and began to sing the Fire Nation anthem.

"Go back to the Fire Nation!" I shouted, ripping a chunk out of the stone stadium and chucking it at him. It bounced off his head, and he whipped his head from side to side, looking around angrily.

"Kioni!" Katara exclaimed, looking shocked.

"What?" I grinned innocently. I smirked as the Boulder catapulted himself down and launched the other man into the air, sending him flying. He crashed into the stands beside us and I turned my attention back to the Boulder.

"Yeaaahhh!" Sokka screamed, waving his arms fanatically. "The Boulder knows how to put the hurt in the dirt!"

"Now _that_ was cool," I admitted, leaning closer to watch. "I could definitely pick up some moves here." We watched, Sokka cheering madly, Aang and I observing curiously, and Katara rolling here eyes constantly, as the Boulder plowed through earthbender after earthbender, easily besting them with his sheer strength and force.

"He's pretty good, I have to admit," I told Aang as the Boulder smashed his lastest opponent off the field with a large earthbending disk. "Still, I could probably take him."

"He just uses his strength!" Aang lamented. "I don't have muscles like that, how am I supposed to do any of those moves?"

"And now," Xin Fu announced and the audience fell silent, the air thrumming with anticipation. "The moment you've all been waiting for. The Boulder versus, your champion, the Blind Bandit!"

The audience went absolutely insane as a tiny figure stepped out onto the platform, raising an ornate belt above its head. My brow furrowed as I realized that it was young girl, probably not older than Aang, with choppy black hair that fell over her milky greenish-white eyes.

"She can't really be blind," Katara said, leaning forward. "It's just part of her act, right?"

"I think she is," I said, looking more closely at the petite girl. "That's insane. How does she earthbend?"

"I think she's going down!" Sokka crowed.

"The Boulder feels conflicted," the Boulder boomed, a look of confusion crossing his face. I was realizing that most of the competitors in this tournament were a few bricks short of a building. "About fighting a young, blind girl."

"Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder!" the Blind Bandit taunted in a high voice. I let out a surprised bark of laughter at the girl's spunk, leaning even closer. This ought to be interesting.

The Boulder pursed his lips, looking slightly angry. "The Boudler is over his conflicted feelings," he announced. "And now he's ready to bury you in a rockalance!"

"The way this guy talks in third person is starting to get really old," Katara muttered, and I had to agree.

"Whenever you're ready, the Pebble!" the Blind Bandit laughed loudly. Katara and I chuckled while Aang stiffened suddenly next to me. I turned to look at him, but he was staring at the Blind Bandit with wide eyes.

"It's on!" the Boulder yelled. The two faced each other in silence for a moment before the Boulder let out a roar and stepped forward with his left foot, ready to strike with his right.

Time seemed to move in slow motion as the Blind Bandit cocked her head to the left slightly and then stepped forward with her right foot, sliding in an L shape out and away. I watched, mouth agape, as the Blind Bandit kicked out with her left, creating a tunnel of dirt that traveled in a perfect L and zoomed under the Boulder's foot the very second he put it down.

He slid into a perfect comical split, letting out an earsplitting howl of pain. The Blind Bandit stepped forward again, jutting out her hand to send three rock spires hurtling out of the ground, sending the Boulder flying out of the arena.

"Your winner, and still the champion," Xin Fu announced. "The Blind Bandit!"

The four of us sat, completely stunned, as the audience went wild. My jaw was probably collecting dust from the floor as I watched the Bandit grin and raise an arm in the air to welcome the applause.

"That was..." Katara began.

"Incredible," I whispered, my voice hoarse.

"Amazing," Aang agreed, still staring wide eyed the girl.

"Totally unfair!" Sokka moaned, throwing his hands up. "Come on, Boulder! Get up! She totally cheated!"

"How did she do that?" I wondered, staring awe-struck at the girl who was accepting her belt and soaking up the admiration of her fans.

"She waited," Aang said, a hopeful grin stretching across his face. "And listened." I turned my gaze to him and then back to the small blind girl in the center of the arena.

"Wow," I breathed. "Hey, Aang, I know she's supposed to be your earthbending teacher and all, but I totally call having a few lessons with her!"

Xin Fu leapt down from his platform and held out a small green sack, presumably jingling with coins. "To make things more interesting," he grinned. "I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat the Blind Bandit!"

Utter silence.

"What?" Xin Fu smirked. "No one dares to face her?" A gust of air by my side told me that the spot next to me had been vacated.

"Aang!" Katara hissed as he made his way towards the arena. "What are you doing?" Aang ignored her, running towards the center.

"I will!" he said. Xin Fu turned to look at him, dumbfounded at this tiny young boy who didn't even look like an earthbender. The audience began to cheer and Xin Fu shrugged, leaping back up to his podium.

"Yeaah!" Sokka cried. "Go Aang! Avenge the Boulder!"

"Oh man," I said. "He is so going to get his butt kicked. Ow!" I cried, shirking back when Katara elbowed me sharply.

"Do people really want to see _two_ little girls fighting out here?" the Bandit jeered, and I covered my hands with my eyes, not particularly wanting to see Aang get pounded into dust.

"I don't really want to fight you," Aang said, holding his hands up. "I want to talk to you."

"Boo, no talking!" Sokka yelled.

"Don't boo at him!" Katara scolded, leaning over to smack him on the head.

Aang stepped forward, and the Bandit smirked as she caused a rock to erupt under his feet, but Aang merely leapt up and lightly floated to another spot on the arena. He landed lightly on his feet and the Bandit furrowed her eyebrows, turning in his direction.

"Somebody's a little light on his feet," she sneered. "What's your fighting name, the Fancy Dancer?" The audience laughed, but I could hear the change in the Bandit's tone - there was an undercurrent of nervousness beneath the scorn. Aang had confused her somehow.

As another rock rose under Aang's feet, he again used its momentum to spin through the air and land safely on his feet across the arena. "That's so cheating," I muttered, grinning nonetheless at the crafty young airbender.

"Please, wait!" Aang called, and the Bandit whirled to face him.

"There you are!" she said triumphantly, throwing a giant boulder at him. Aang leapt into the air, spinning around and shooting a gust of air towards the Bandit out of self defense. She let out a cry as she skidded backwards and off the platform.

There was silence for about two seconds before the audience went crazy cheering and whooping. Aang ignored their cheers and ran after the Bandit.

"Come on," Katara muttered, and we ran towards the steps to see the Bandit stalking away.

"Please, listen!" Aang called desperately. "I need an earthbending teacher and I think it's supposed to be you!"

"Whoever you are, just leave me alone," the Bandit responded, not looking back.

"Wait!" Aang cried as she stomped her foot, revealing a pathway behind a wall of stone. She entered it and glared at Aang one last time before closing the wall behind her.

I ran down the stars and towards Aang to strip down the rock and show the pathway again, but it was empty. The Blind Bandit had disappeared. Aang slumped and walked dejectedly back to the arena to accept his belt and bag of coins with a sorrowful expression.

"Way to go, champ!" Sokka cried, looking ecstatic as he hugged Xin Fu and grabbed the belt and coins. I glared at him before putting a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry," I assured him. "We'll find her."

* * *

"I gotta admit," Sokka grinned as we strolled down the streets of Gaoling again. "I'm really glad I bought this bag. It matches the belt perfectly!"

"That is a big relief," I replied sarcastically, glaring at him through narrowed eyes. "What an utter tragedy we avoided."

"If we want to find the Blind Bandit, the earthbending academy is a good place to start," Katara said as we walked through Master Yu's doors. I smirked as I saw the only two people in the academy were the two boys Katara and I had, er... coaxed information out of yesterday.

"Oh great," the one with the mohawk scowled. "You again." Katara stepped forward threateningly and I held back a laugh as they stumbled back as if shocked.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," she glared at them.

"Nicely done," I smirked, turning my stare to the two boys and feeling a rush of satisfaction when they cowered back.

"Hey, you're the kid who beat the Blind Bandit!" the second one said, noticing Aang.

"We need to talk to her," Aang said. "Do you guys know where she lives?"

"The Blind Bandit's a mystery," mohawk guy said. "She shows up to fight... and then disappears." I narrowed my eyes.

"Let me handle this," I said before stepping forward and jabbing my finger threateningly at the second guy. "You're not telling us everything!"

"I swear it's true!" he stuttered, holding his hands up. "No one knows where she goes or who she really is."

"That's because we're asking about the wrong person," Aang realized, while Sokka pulled on my arm, tugging me away from the guy who looked like he was about to wet his pants. "In my vision, I saw a girl in a white dress with a flying boar. Know anybody like that?"

"Well, a flying boar is the symbol of the Beifong family," mohawk guy said while his friend cowered behind him. "They're the richest people in town. Probably in the whole world."

"Yeah, but they don't have a daughter," the other guy peeked out from his friend's shoulder.

"The flying boar is good enough for me!" Aang smiled, turning towards us. "Let's go check it out!"

"Yeah, you better leave," mohawk guy sneered as we turned to walk away. Quick as a flash, I spun around and thrust my arms out, creating two rock spires that erupted under their feet and send them flying into the wall, shrieking.

"I've got my eye on you," Katara warned their fallen forms as we strutted out.

* * *

"That is one sweet place," I said, staring wide eyed at the Beifong estate. The gates were ornately decorated and manned by two serious looking guards, while an elaborate canvas painting of a flying boar hung above the entrance.

"Come on!" Aang whispered as we dashed around the side to one of the gates. Raising Sokka and Katara up on stone pillers alongside me, I followed Aang over the wall.

We tiptoed through the unbelievably green gardens, darting around tress and peeking out the side of bushes, looking anywhere for the Blind Bandit. Suddenly, I tensed, feeling the earth rumbled beneath my feet.

There was no time to warn the others as the ground exploded beneath us into a giant hill, sending the others sprawling. Having felt the earth milliseconds before, I used the momentum to spin through the air and raised a column of dirt to soften my fall. I looked over to see a tiny girl dressed in an elaborate white gown, her hair done up in a fancy bun.

If it hadn't been for the striking milky green eyes, there's no way I would've recognized the Blind Bandit.

"What are you doing here, Twinkle Toes?" she demanded and I resisted the urge to giggle. Twinkle Toes?

"How'd you know it was me?" Aang asked, laying upside down in a berry bush.

"Don't answer to Twinkle Toes!" Sokka hissed from where he was sprawled out on the ground. "It's not manly!"

"Oh, and you would know all about being manly," I smirked. "Mr. Thank-Goodness-My-Bag-Matches-My-Belt." Sokka sent me a glare and opened his mouth to retort.

"How did you find me?" the Bandit cut him off, still glaring angrily at Aang.

"Well, a crazy king, Kioni's grandfather, told me I needed to find an earthbender who listened to the earth," Aang explained, rising up on a patch of air as we walked towards him. "And then I had a vision in a magic swamp, and..."

"What Aang is trying to say is," Katara interrupted his rambling, smiling appeasingly at the girl. "He's the Avatar. And if he doesn't master earthbending soon, he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord."

"She's an earthbender," the Bandit scowled, throwing out an arm to point at me. "Why can't she teach him?"

"Not my job, different destiny, yada yada yada," I waved her off, not wanting to get into the whole story right now. "Point is, it's supposed to be you, and, although this pains me to admit it, you're a better earthbender than I am. And I think your style is the one Aang needs to learn."

Apparently, flattery was not the answer to winning over the Blind Bandit. "Not my problem," she snapped, walking away. "Now, get out of here, or I'll call the guards."

"Look, we all have to do our part to end this war," Sokka tried to explain. "Yours is to teach Aang earthbending."

The Bandit turned around and for a split second, I thought she was going to change her mind, but she simply put on a scared expression and called out, "Guards! Guards, help!"

Panicking, we ran to hide behind one of the stone walls as three guards ran up to her. "What's wrong, Toph?" they asked, looking around as we shrunk further behind the wall.

"Toph, huh?" Sokka muttered. "Sounds like tough."

"What do you think we should do?" Katara asked Aang, who looked like he was forming a plan in his head. After a few seconds, he turned to us, grinning.

"I think," he smiled, his gray eyes twinkling mischievously. "It's time to play the Avatar card."

* * *

**Yaaay, welcome Toph! I'm looking forward to writing the relationship between her and Kioni... too bad there won't be that much of it, since she's leaving the group soon... **

***gasp* Spoiler alert! ;) **

**Part 2 should be up later in the week, it's already mostly written. Please review and leave me your thoughts, comments, questions, concerns, predictions, etc. :)**

**Next up: The Blind Bandit, Part 2.**


	18. The Blind Bandit (Part 2)

It was remarkable what "playing the Avatar card" could do. When we walked up to the guards, they glared at us suspiciously, but the moment Aang revealed his arrows we were ushered in and promised an immediate audience with the Beifongs, who invited us to stay for dinner.

"Avatar Aang," Mrs. Beifong said. "It's an honor to have you visit us."

"In your opinion, how much longer do you think the war will last?" Mr. Beifong asked Aang while eating his noodles delicately. Katara glared at Sokka, who was slurping his noodles eagerly, but she was duly ignored.

"I'd like to defeat the Fire Lord before the end of summer," Aang replied. "But I can't do that without finding an earthbending teacher first." He shot a coy look towards Toph, who, although she could not see it, frowned.

"Well, Master Yu is the finest teacher in the land," Mr. Beifong said. "He's been teaching Toph since she was little."

"Then she must be a great earthbender!" Aang exclaimed cheerily. "Probably good enough to teach someone else-ow!" Aang leapt up in his seat, his face scrunched up in pain. I blinked, raising an eyebrow as silence fell over the table.

"Toph is still learning the basics," Master Yu said to dispel the awkward silence.

"Yes," Mr. Beifong said. "And sadly, because of her blindness, I don't think she will ever become a true master." Katara and I exchanged confused glances. What was he talking about?

"Oh, I'm sure she's better than you think she is," Aang began, but was cut off with a yelp as his chair rocketed forward, sending him face first into his bowl of noodles. Furrowing my brow, I flitted my gaze between Aang and Toph, who was sitting demurely and eating her noodles, with only the faintest shadow of a smirk upon her lips.

Aang picked the bowl off his face and wiped his cheeks, glaring at Toph. Suddenly, his eyebrow raised deviously and he inhaled sharply, letting out a massive sneeze and sending food flying everywhere.

"What's your problem?" Toph cried, standing up and placing her hands on the table.

"What's _your_ problem?!" Aang retorted, also standing up. An awkward silence settled over the table as Aang and Toph glared at each other like... well, like a pair of petulant twelve year olds.

"Well," Mrs. Beifong said, still somehow smiling despite the bits of rice in her hair. "Shall we move to the living room for dessert?"

"What was that?" Katara hissed into Aang's ear as she passed by. Aang swung around to look at her, his expression put out yet slightly ashamed.

"She provoked me!" he protested, the tips of his ears turning red with anger as Toph passed by, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Woah!" Sokka cried, grabbing ahold of the normally peaceful airbender before he could lunge at Toph. "Geez, Aang, calm down!"

"Keep your cool, Avatar," I muttered, placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you want, I can go talk to her. Maybe she'll hear it better coming from another earthbender."

Aang quit struggling immediately and looked up at me with wide gray eyes. "You'd do that for me?" he asked, his voice filled with so much hope you'd think I'd just offered to defeat the Fire Lord for him.

"Sure thing, buddy," I replied, stumbling backwards when he launched himself at me and hugged me. _Yeesh_, I thought, returning the hug tentatively. _Twelve year olds and their mood swings._

* * *

"Hello?" I called, knocking once on the door that Mrs. Beifong had told me belonged to Toph's bedroom.

"I'm not here!" a sarcastic voice singsonged from inside. I bit my lip to hide my smile.

"Come on, Toph," I coaxed, leaning against the wall. "I just want to talk, earthbender to earthbender." There was a moment of silence, and then a thrill of victory went through me as the stone slab lowered quickly, so quickly that I would have fallen flat on my face had I not felt it start to move beforehand and straightened up.

"You trying to trip me?" I demanded as I walked into the room, keeping my voice light so she would know I was joking. The young girl was sitting on a giant, four poster bed in the middle of the room that was draped in fancy silk coverings and decorated with tasteful pillows. The walls were painted a light green with ornate tapestries of flowers and flying boars hung on the walls, and in one corner stood a snow white vanity with a sparkling mirror, filled with a variety of cosmetics that looked like they had never been touched.

"You realize you could've just taken the door down yourself, right?" Toph asked me, not looking at me.

"I know," I said, looking around the room as I walked towards her. "This room doesn't seem very... you."

"You don't even know me," Toph pointed out.

"I saw you fight," I responded, sitting down across from her on the vanity chair. "My grandfather always said you can tell a lot about someone by their fighting style."

"Your grandfather," Toph said, turning her head in my direction."The crazy old king who told Aang that I was supposed to be his earthbending teacher?"

"The very same," I replied, not discouraged by the note of anger that had crept into her voice.

"Well, he's definitely crazy," she scowled, but then her face morphed into one of curiosity. "Wait, if your granddad's a king, doesn't that make you a princess?"

I nodded once before realizing she couldn't see me. "Yeah," I said. "Princess of Omashu."

"Omashu," Toph repeated, sounding a little wistful. "I've never been there. Actually, I've never been anywhere outside this dumb town, and as far as my parents know, I've never been anywhere outside this mansion." She kicked her foot against the ground once, causing the earth to dent slightly. I sat up straighter at her bitter tone of voice, the pieces of the puzzle finally starting to fall into place.

"I know how you feel," I said, and she glared at me, opening her mouth to protest. "Hey, hear me out. Before I met Aang, my granddad never let me leave the walled city of Omashu. My parents left to fight in the war, and they never came back, so after their deaths, Bumi became crazy overprotective of me. But Aang and his friends convinced him that I needed to go out and see the world in order to play my part in ending the war."

"As it turned out, Bumi was just waiting for the right time to let me go so I could fulfill my destiny," I finished, staring out the window, partially lost in memories.

"The same destiny that doesn't involve _you _teaching Aang earthbending?"

I laughed once at her disgruntled tone. "Yeah, sorry," I grinned, pleased to see the corners of her mouth quirk up slightly. "I'm afraid that's all you."

Toph frowned suddenly and turned away from me. "Yeah, well, even if I wanted to teach Aang, _my_ parents would never allow it," she said bitterly, folding her arms across her chest. "They don't see me as anything except a helpless blind girl. They don't even think I can earthbend because of my blindness! But in reality, my blindness helps me earthbend even more. I can feel the vibrations in the earth through my feet and _see_ with my earthbending."

I stared at her, awed. "That's how you beat the Boulder," I realized. "That's... wow, that's really amazing. You've gotta show me how to do that." Toph's face lit up subtly at my praise, and I could tell she hadn't heard that many times before.

"I don't know," she replied, a hint of teasing in her voice. "Don't think I'm about to give up my title as master earthbender!" I laughed along with her.

"I think you should go tell Aang everything you just told me," I told her, getting up to leave, satisfied with what I had accomplished. "I really hope you do choose to join us, Toph." I left the room as she stared straight ahead, seemingly deep in thought.

Later that night, when Toph came into our room offering a truce and suggested she and Aang go for a walk, I lay back in my bed, grinning when she sent a small smile in my direction.

"How did you do that?" Sokka asked, looking incredulous at Toph's sudden transformation.

"Oh, you know me, Sokka," I smirked in his direction. "I'm a master of persuasion." Sokka let out an undignified snort, and then yelped when I chucked a rock at him and it bounced off his head.

* * *

"Shouldn't they be back by now?" Katara asked, about an hour later. She walked over to the window and looked into the garden, worry etched in her face. "It's really dark outside."

"Relax, Katara," Sokka mumbled from his pillow, his body spread out on the couch. "I'm sure they're fine."

"Help! Help!" We all sat up straight as a distressed looking Mrs. Beifong burst into the room. "Oh, you have to help! They've... they've captured Toph and Aang!"

Mrs. Beifong collapsed to her knees and buried her face in hear hands, shaking with tears.

"Who captured them?" Katara cried as we all leapt up from our sitting positions. "Where did they take them?"

"We don't know!" Mrs. Beifong sobbed. "They just left a note, out in the garden! Please, you have to help us!" Without another word, Katara gathered her things and ran out the door.

I raised an eyebrow at Sokka as he grabbed his bag and belt. "You were saying?" He stuck his tongue out at me as we dashed after Katara, following her as we ran out of the mansion and into the cool night air of the garden.

"There!" Katara pointed up ahead, where two square shaped indents lay in the dirt, a scroll pinned to the ground with a sword next to them. Mr. Beifong and Master Yu were already waiting, staring grimly at the scroll. Mrs. Beifong rushed to her husband and collapsed in his arms, drying her eyes on a small handkerchief. I picked up the sword and unfurled the scroll.

"If you want to see your daughter, bring five hundred gold pieces to the arena," I read, my eyes widening. "It's signed Xin Fu and the Boulder."

"I don't believe it," Sokka murmured, before snatching the scroll out of my hand and collapsing to his knees. "I have the Boulder's autograph!" he yelled in glee.

Rolling my eyes so fiercely I thought they'd pop out of my head, I kicked my foot and hit him squarely in the back of the head with a clod of dirt. He yelped and fell flat onto his stomach.

"Master Yu," Mr. Beifong said solemnly. "I need you to help get my daughter back."

"We're going with you," Katara insisted.

"Poor Toph," Mrs. Beifong moaned, crouching down next to the spots that must have held the cages that captured Aang and Toph. "She must be so scared."

I bit my lip to stop a snort from escaping, thinking of the girl I'd talked to hours earlier.

Somehow, I doubted _scared_ was the emotion she was feeling.

* * *

"You think you're so tough!" We heard an angry voice shout as the five of us walked into the arena, Sokka clutching the sack full of gold coins. "Why don't you come up here so you I can smack that grin off your face!"

I smirked up at Toph, who was suspended in a metal cage alongside Aang above the arena. She gripped the metal bars covering her face and glared fiercely down at Xin Fu.

"I'm not smiling," the arena owner scowled at her.

"Toph!" Mr. Beifong called, sounding both relieved to see his daughter and slightly shocked at the words coming out of her mouth. Xin Fu and the Boulder turned around.

"Here's your money," Sokka said, dropping the bag of coins. "Now let them go." Master Yu earthbended the coins towards Xin Fu, who picked them up and rifled through the bag for a moment before gesturing with his hands.

The cage containing Toph lowered slowly to the ground before the Boulder popped a switch and Toph fell onto the ground below. She got up and ran quickly into her father's embrace. Toph's father hugged her briefly before putting a hand on her shoulder; they turned to leave with Master Yu, leaving Aang's cage suspended.

"Hey, what about Aang?!" I cried.

"I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar," Xin Fu smirked nastily, unfurling a wanted poster of Aang. "Now, _get out of my ring_."

Scowling at the other earthbender, I quickly dropped into a fighting stance as Sokka and Katara did the same on either side of me. Suddenly, there was a whirlwind, an explosion of dirt, and the other five fighters emerged next to Xin Fu and the Boulder.

I stepped back, eyeing them all warily. There was no way we could fight them three on seven, with me being the only earthbender.

"Go," Aang said from his cage, waving us off. "I'll be okay."

"Toph," I muttered out the side of my mouth, and Katara nodded. Together, we backed away until we reached the earth tunnel leading out of the arena, where Toph was walking away with her father and Master Yu.

"Toph, there's too many of them!" Katara cried.

"I can't fight them by myself," I said pleadingly. "We need another earthbender. We need _you_."

"My daughter is blind," Mr. Beifong said fiercely, turning to face us. "She is blind, and tiny, and helpless, and fragile!" Toph stiffened next to him. "She cannot help you!"

"Yes," Toph yanked her hand away from her father's and turned to face us resolutely. "I can." My face split into a grin as she walked over to us.

We walked back onto the ring to see the group of fighters leaving, Aang's cage perched on the Hippo's shoulder. Stomping my foot once, I caused a column of rock to erupt directly in front of them so they turned to face us, dumb looks of shock on their faces.

"Let him go!" I demanded, Toph standing next to me and Sokka and Katara a few steps behind.

"I beat you all before, and I'll do it again!" Toph added.

"The Boulder takes issue with that comment!" the Boulder frowned, pointing at us angrily. The Hippo scowled and tossed Aang's cage off his shoulder, where it bumped along the ground and landed shakily as Aang yelped with pain inside. I winced.

Sokka and Katara lunged forward, but Toph held her arms out to stop them. "Wait," she said, and we all looked at her. She narrowed her eyes.

Surprised, Sokka and Katara stepped backwards, but I stayed, looking at her, confused. "Kioni," she said, not turning towards me. "Can you whip up a cloud of dust?"

"Umm, sure," I said uncertainly. "Do you want me to help, or...?" One corner of her mouth twitched upwards.

"No," she replied, not removing her sightless gaze from the group running towards her. "They're mine."

My brows furrowed, but I raised my arms in obedience, causing the earth to rumble all around us. I watched Toph's face as the fighters charged towards us, and when she gave the tiniest fraction of a nod, I dropped my arms, creating a massive cloud of dust that engulfed the crowd.

I watched, stunned, as Toph walked into the cloud with her arms slightly outstretched.

"How can she s..." Sokka began, faltering when Katara gave him looks. "Oh. Right. Heh."

"We have to go get Aang out!" Katara cried, and we all dashed over to the cage where Aang was held. Sokka fell to his knees in front of the metal and began banging it with his fists.

"Aang! Aang! Don't breathe!" he cried hysterically. "Conserve your air!"

"Sokka, shut up!" I snapped, pulling a long stone rod out of the ground. I smacked him over the head with it before crouching down next to Aang's cage and beginning to hit the lock with the rod.

"Hit it harder!" Aang said.

"I'm trying!" I responded testily, whacking at the lock until it popped off. Aang leapt out of the cage and instantly into a fighting position, but I simply shook my head and pointed to the cloud of dust.

We watched as the Hippo staggered out of the cloud, clomping around dazedly and holding an earthen disk. With a groan, the Boulder flew out of the cloud next to him and landed hard on his hands and knees. They both growled angrily and beat their chests as Toph stepped out in front of them, her arms still raised slightly, looking completely calm.

A green blur flashed through the air, and I couldn't hold in my gasp as I saw the masked earthbender fly towards Toph on a chain at the exact moment the Boulder picked up a rock and he and the Hippo charged towards her. She might have been able to see the two of them, but there was no way she could see the guy whizzing up behind her.

"Toph, behind you!" I cupped my hands over my mouth and shouted. Toph brought her arms in and then jabbed them out suddenly, extending her foot at the same time so that the giant earthen disk they were all standing on rotated about ninety degrees to the left.

Two seconds before the Boulder and the Hippo were about to maul her, the flying earthbender plowed into them, sending them skidding off the arena as Toph smirked, unscathed.

Yeah, I was definitely going to have to wash my chin, because it was spending some quality time on the floor.

Toph raised her arms slowly and lowered her palms, dispelling the cloud of dust instantly.

On the other side of the arena stood Xin Fu, who glared at Toph with a ferocity that made me glad he wasn't a firebender, because Toph would definitely be up in flames. Instead of looking scared or even worried, Toph sucked in briefly before spitting to the side and smirking challengingly at Xin Fu.

The two circled each other for a moment before Xin Fu lost his temper and hurled three, four, five giant rocks towards Toph. Toph swirled her wrists, creating a rock tent that encased her completely, and the boulders simply bounced off her enclosing. She punched outward, sending one of the slabs of rock hurling towards Xin Fu, who leapt to the side.

He stuck his right hand out into the earth as he fell and flung a rock at Toph, who sidestepped at the last second as it went whizzing by her face. I suppressed a choked gasp as I saw the rock skim the bangs that fell loosely over her face.

I saw her milky eyes narrow and she struck forward once at Xin Fu, who was still balancing on one hand, and he went careening through the air before landing with a loud grunt right in between Master Yu and Mr. Beifong.

Sokka let out a shocked cry as he stumbled backwards, and Aang, Katara and I rushed towards Toph, who looked extremely pleased.

"That was so cool!" Aang yelled, jumping up and down excitedly. A small grin overtook Toph's face as we gushed and raved in front of her.

"Toph!" a choked cry came from behind us and we all turned to see Mr. Beifong and Master Yu standing at the entrance to the arena. Toph stiffened as she heard her father's voice, and I took in the dumbfounded look on his face.

"Dad..." she began uncertainly, but Mr. Beifong held up a hand.

"Let's... talk about this at home," he said, his expression untelling of how he was taking the sudden turn of events. "Your mother is very worried about you."

Toph opened her mouth, but her father and Master Yu simply turned and walked away. I placed a hand on her shoulder as she slumped, clearly thinking the worst.

"Hey, don't worry," I assured her. "He probably just needs a little time to process, that's all. He'll come around, just watch."

* * *

"I've let you have far too much freedom! From now on, you will be watched, cared for, and guarded twenty four hours a day"

"Uh... ok, maybe not," I whispered after Mr. Beifong's outburst.

"But Dad!" Toph protested, her voice choking up slightly.

"This is for your own good, Toph," Mrs. Beifong reprimanded her.

"With all due respect, Mr. Beifong," Aang said, standing up. "I know you think Toph needs to be cared for, but I thought you would see after that earthbending display, she can hold her own better than most adults can."

Mr. Beifong fixed Aang with a steely look, and we all cowered back slightly.

"Please escort the Avatar and his friends out," he spoke in a low voice, glaring at us. "They are no longer welcome here."

Yikes.

"I'm sorry, Toph," I said sorrowfully as we walked out, heads hanging.

"I'm sorry too," Toph whispered, and my heart clenched as I heard the tears in her voice. "Goodbye, Kioni. Goodbye, Aang."

* * *

"Well, that was certainly a shame," Mrs. Beifong commented once Aang and his friends had left. "I was hoping the Avatar of all people would be more... poised. I suppose that's the reason this war business has gone on as long as it has."

Toph clenched her fists under the long sleeves of her robe, tears still tracking down her cheeks.

"I think you should go to your room, Toph," her father said. "We'll discuss this further in the morning. I want you to know what you've been doing is extremely irresponsible, and you will be punished."

"Oh, dear, it's only because we love you," her mother added on in a simpering voice. "We don't want you to get hurt."

_I don't get hurt! _Toph screamed inside her head. _I've been doing this for ages now and I've never gotten hurt! Why can't you see that? Why can't you see __**me**?_

But she didn't yell at them. No, that would be pointless. They never listened anyway.

Instead, Toph left the room, not looking at her parents, and walked silently up to her bedroom. She flung herself down on her bed and allowed the sobs to fall freely now, the crushing disappointment of a promise of freedom, of appreciation, that had been so, so close.

It wasn't fair, she thought, as the angry tears subsided. She had been stuck in the same place for twelve years of her life, wondering what her purpose in life what, what she was supposed to be, and when finally, the answer shows up in front of her, everything she's ever wanted (freedom, oh freedom, and the promise of _friends_ - such a foreign concept), it's ripped from her.

_And this isn't just about me_, she mused. _This is about the entire world. I have a chance to make a difference, to actually end this war, and I can't because my parents won't open their eyes and see me for who I am._

_I should have just run away when I had the chance,_ she thought bitterly.

She sat bolt upright in her bed, all traces of tears vanished. Once the idea had been planted in her head, the longer she thought about it, the more appealing it seemed.

_Maybe I still have a chance,_ she thought, grabbing her fighting clothes off the hanger on her bedpost.

* * *

"Don't worry," Katara reassured Aang as we stood on a small plateau that overlooked the Beifong estate, nearly ready to take off. "We'll find you a teacher. There are plenty of amazing earthbenders out there."

"Not like her," Aang replied dejectedly.

"We'll find one," I promised him. "And I know I'm not supposed to be your official teacher, but I can get you started on a few basics while we look so it can speed up the process."

Aang shot me a small, grateful smile, but the minute he turned his head away, his face fell into lines of misery again. I frowned sympathetically for the young boy; he'd really had his heart set on Toph, and I didn't blame him.

I gazed out over the estate, which was illuminated by the lamps that lined the walkways. Sighing quietly, I couldn't help but feel awful for Toph. Our stories weren't too different, and it didn't seem fair that I had gotten out while she was still stuck.

"Come on," Katara murmured, tugging on Aang's hand. We walked towards Appa and climbed on, Aang sighing as he leapt onto the bison's head and took the reins. He was just about to open his mouth when a shout rang through the night.

"Wait!" We all turned and my heart leaped as a small figure came dashing through the trees, barefoot.

"Toph!" Aang cried. "What are you doing here?"

"My dad changed his mind," she said, her voice taking on a slightly sly tone that made me furrow my eyebrows. "He said I was free to travel the world."

I exchanged puzzled looks with Sokka before understanding crossed our faces, and I had to bit my lip to conceal my pleased laughter.

"Well, we better get out of here," Sokka said, his lips quirking up. "You know, before he changes his mind again."

"Good idea," Toph grinned, and this time, I really did let out a laugh.

"You're going to be a great teacher, Toph," Aang said, sounding ten times cheerier than he had three minutes ago.

"Speaking of which, I wanna show you something," she told him, crooking a finger and beckoning him down.

Uh oh.

"Okay!" Aang said, gullible and trusting as ever, and he floated down and landed beside Toph. The eager grin was quickly wiped off his face as Toph stomped her foot once and catapulted him into the tree.

"Now we're even," she smirked. "Um, I'll take the belt back." Sokka narrowed his eyes before letting out a huff and dropping the belt.

"Ouch!" Toph cried as the belt fell past her outstreched hand and onto her head.

"SOKKA!" Katara and I scolded at the same time.

"Geez, sorry, sorry!" he defended, looking sheepish and holding his hands up.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Toph said breezily as Aang helped her into Appa's saddle. "Now that we're traveling together, I'll have _plenty_ of opportunities to get you back." I laughed as Toph grinned evilly and Sokka gulped nervously.

Having Toph in the group was sure going to be interesting.

* * *

**Super special thanks to my new beta, Shiningheart of Thunderclan! You're awesome. :)**

**Did you guys like Kioni and Toph's interaction? I feel like they're sort of kindred spirits. Let me know in your reviews! **

**I'm not going to be writing for Zuko Alone, since there's not anything I would change about that episode... at least not enough to devote a whole chapter. Maybe I'll write a little insert or scene from it later... we'll see. ;)**

**Also, we're super close to 100 reviews... do you think we could get 100 by chapter 20? It would really mean a lot to me! More reviews = happy author and happy author = faster updates! ;)**

**Thanks again for reading! :)**

**Next up: The Chase, Part 1.**


	19. The Chase (Part 1)

"Can we land yet?" Sokka whined, hanging over the edge of the saddle. "I'm tired."

"We're looking for a landing spot, Sokka," Katara replied through gritted teeth.

"I'm hungry!"

"What a surprise," I muttered sarcastically. We'd flown through the night and most of the next day once we'd left Gaoling, not finding any other towns to land at, and after nearly eighteen hours of flying, we were all anxious to find some ground.

"There's a clearing!" Aang said, pointing down below, and we all heaved a sigh of relief as Aang maneuvered Appa into the clearing. As Appa landed, a cloud of white flew upwards, causing us all to cough and wave our hands around to dispel the bits of fur flying around.

"Hey, you guys picked a great campsite!" Toph commented after she slid down, wiggling her her toes in Appa's fur. "The grass is so soft!"

"That's not grass," I deadpanned as I slid down, taking my sleeping bag with me. "Appa's shedding."

"Oh, gross!" Katara cried as bits of white fur flew into her hair.

"That's not gross," Aang said, smiling placatingly. "It's just a part of spring. You know, rebirth, flowers blooming, and Appa gets a new coat."

"Ah, the beauty of spring," Katara added sarcastically. Appa let out a grumble as he sneezed loudly, and we cried out as fur exploded and started to rain down around us.

"Ack! Appa, no!" I complained, brushing fur out of my hair.

"Hey, it's not that bad," Sokka said, turning around with a giant column of hair stuck on his head. "It makes a great wig!"

"And a great beard!" Aang added, jumping down next to Sokka with a giant beard covering the bottom half of his face and most of his torso. I bit my lip to hide a smile as Katara stared at them, unimpressed.

"I'm just glad we have another girl in the group," she said, brushing herself off. "Now that we outnumber you, maybe we'll finally have an advantage, because you two are disgusting."

"Excuse me," Sokka and Aang parted to make way for Toph, who walked forward with her arms behind her back. "Does anyone have a razor? Because I got some hairy pits!" She lifted her arms up to show the massive hair under them, causing all three to burst into hysterical giggles.

Aang let out a massive sneeze and flew backwards into Appa's leg and then fell face flat on the ground, which only made them laugh harder. I let out a laugh, shrugging my shoulders sheepishly when Katara shot me a glare.

"Fur fight!" Sokka yelled, scooping up a clump of fur with his hands. Before I could protest, he ran over and dumped it on my head, causing me to let out a loud shriek.

"Oh, you'll pay for that," I threatened, trying to keep my face serious. I grabbed two fistfuls of fur and ran at him, laughing as he dashed away, screaming.

We dissolved into fits of laughter and throwing fur, running around the clearing as we attacked each other. It started off as me and Katara versus Aang, Sokka and Toph, but quickly turned into everybody-versus-Sokka, and then girls-versus-boys as Aang took pity on Sokka.

"Hey, no fair!" I cried as Aang began to bend the air around the pieces and form a gigantic ball of fur that hung suspended in the air. "No fur bending! Aang's cheating!"

"All's fair in love and war!" Sokka cackled maniacally as Aang grinned and thrust the ball towards us.

"Everybody duck!" Toph yelled and we hit the ground as she created an earth tent that shielded us as the ball collided, spraying the air with fur.

"Okay, okay," Katara gasped as we all lay on the ground, covering in Appa's fur and shaking with laughter. "It's getting dark. We need to start setting up the tents."

"Awww, Katara!" Aang and Sokka complained simultaneously but she merely smiled at them and they picked themselves up, grumbling, and went to go fetch the tents.

"So, what do you think so far?" I asked, walking over to Toph.

"Oh man, you guys have the life!" Toph cried, a huge grin splitting her face. "Flying for hours, doing whatever you want, nobody tell you to do this or do that..."

"Well, just you wait," I laughed. "Katara will give you something to do soon enough."

"Kioni! Come help me with the firewood!" Katara shouted, on cue, from across the clearing.

"Mother calls," I rolled my eyes but smiled at Toph one more time before walking over to Katara.

I didn't notice the way Toph's smile tugged downwords or her eyes narrowed as she watched Katara.

* * *

"Why isn't Toph doing anything?" Katara asked me out of the corner of her mouth. I looked up from the tent we were setting up to see Toph leaning against some rocks, chewing on a piece of wheat and looking utterly careless. "I asked her to help set up the sleeping bags!"

"Well, she got _her_ sleeping bags," I pointed out. "She's probably just not used to traveling with other people."

"You're probably right," Katara said turning back to her water bucket, but glancing over to Toph occasionally. "I'll go remind her, just in case."

"Remind her what?" I asked, but Katara had already started to walk towards the younger girl. I shrugged, turning back to the tent.

"I don't understand what's the problem here!" Toph's voice rang out across the clearing and I looked up again, seeing Katara standing here with her shoulders hunched and her fists clenched, glaring at Toph, who was sitting in an earth cave made from two slabs of rock.

Katara said something to Toph and turned around, stalking back towards me with an ugly expression on her face.

"What happened?" I asked, glancing warily at Toph who was also sitting, hunched over, in her makeshift tent.

"She refuses to help out!" Katara cried, throwing her hands up. "Something about 'carrying her own weight' and a bunch of other nonsense."

"Katara, lay off a little," I said gently. "This whole situation is really new for Toph. Just give her a few days; we can take care of everything tonight."

Katara faltered slightly, but did not lose her steely expression. "If she's a part of this group now, she needs to help out like everyone else," she insisted.

"Yeah, but getting annoyed with her isn't going to make her feel welcome," I pointed out. Katara heaved a heavy sigh, not looking completely convinced.

"I suppose you're right," she mumbled. I was about to say something else, but cut off as a loud cry came from near Appa. I turned to see Sokka sprawled out under the saddle and Aang trying to pull it off him.

"I'll go take care of that," I rolled my eyes, shooting Katara a tiny smirk. She didn't see me, seemingly lost in thought as she glanced over to Toph's tent again. Frowning slightly, I walked over to try to pull the saddle off Sokka.

"Sorry, sorry!" Aang was saying, lifting it up as Sokka inched out from underneath.

"You broke my spine!" Sokka moaned, flopping onto his back.

"You're such a drama queen," I laughed, nudging his foot. "Get up and help me get the food out."

"I cannot!" Sokka responded dramatically, flinging a hand over his face. "I cannot go on!"

"Well, I guess Katara and I will have to eat all that seal jerky by ourselves," I teased and Sokka leapt up immediately, somehow miraculously recovered.

* * *

"There's something coming towards us!"

I groaned and rubbed my eyes, blinking a few times as I sat up groggily. After dinner, we'd quickly settled down to sleep after a long day of flying, and I was not happy about being woken up again. The image of Toph running towards me came slowly into view, and I tried to dispel the clouds of sleep as I saw her panicked face.

"What is it?" Aang asked as we all gathered around her.

"It feels like an avalanche," she replied, putting her hand to the ground. "But also... not an avalanche."

"Your powers of perception are frightening," Sokka deadpanned as I yawned hugely.

"Should we leave?" Katara asked.

"Better safe than sorry," Aang decided.

As we gathered our belongings quickly and rose up on Appa, I saw black smoke rising in the distance. "There!" I said, pointing. As I looked closer, it appeared to be some sort of machine that was barreling towards us, expelling noxious black clouds behind it.

Whatever it was, it definitely didn't look friendly.

"What is that thing?" Katara asked quietly.

We flew for several hours into the night, finally landing in another clearing about a hundred miles away. I groaned as I hauled my sleeping back over my shoulder, nearly falling off Appa in exhaustion.

"Land, sweet land!" Toph crowed as her feet touched the ground. "Well, see you guys in the morning!"

"Actually, Toph, I was wondering if you could help us unload," Katara said, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice.

"Really?" Toph said snarkily. "You need _me_ to help unload Sokka's funky smelling sleeping bag?"

"Hey!" Sokka protested, leaning forward to sniff his sleeping bag and recoiling immediately, a horrified look on his face. "Okay, point taken."

"Well, yeah," Katara looked actually annoying now and I held back a groan. Now was _not _the time to start a fight. "That and everything else. You're a part of our team now, and-"

"Look," Toph interrupted, point a finger in her direction. "I didn't ask you to help unload my stuff. I'm carrying my own weight."

"That's not the point!" Katara protested as Toph walked away. "Ever since you've joined us, you've been nothing but selfish and unhelpful!"

"Katara-" I began, seeing this was about to escalate quickly.

"WHAT!?" Toph shrieked, looking furious. "Look here, _Sugar Queen_. I gave up everything I had so I could teach Aang earthbending, so don't you talk to me about being selfish!" Toph sat down and raised two earth slabs on either side of her.

"Sugar Queen!?" Katara yelled, quivering with rage. Toph raised another slab in front of Katara's face in response. "Did you just slam the door in my face?!"

"Should we... do something?" Aang asked uncertainly as we watched Katara bang on the door and shriek at Toph.

"Hey, I'm just enjoying the show," Sokka smirked.

"I'm too tired to do anything," I mumbled, lying down on top of my sleeping bag. "Let's just... rest. Aang, wait!" I cried as Aang began to walk over to Katara, clearly determined to help out. "Oh no," I muttered, covering my eyes as Sokka winced next to me.

"Okay, okay, you both need to calm down," Aang said in an attempt to be soothing. Katara whirled around, her eye twitching.

"Both!?" she exploded. "I'M COMPLETELY CALM!"

Aang froze. "I... I can see that," he gulped, inching away from her slowly as Katara panted heavily. I clapped a sympathetic hand on his shoulder as he returned, looking defeated.

"Let's just get the bags set up, what do you say?" I asked, and Aang nodded, sending a frightened glance towards the waterbender.

We set up our sleeping bags, not even bothering with tents this time, and I snuggled down into mine, feeling a sense of relief as I relaxed. Finally, some sleep.

"The stars sure are beautiful tonight," Katara snarked, jolting me out of drowsiness. "Too bad you can't see them, Toph!" Katara let out a cry as Toph earthbended a rock that caused her to fly upwards and onto Sokka.

"Hey!" Sokka shouted, pushing Katara off of him. "How's a guy supposed to get any sleep with all this yelling and earthquaking?!"

"That thing is back!" Toph cried in response, emerging from her cave and looking panicked. I let out a moan and flopped backwards.

"Are you sure?" I pleaded. "Can't we stay a few more minutes? It won't catch up to us then, right? Right?"

"Look at that smoke!" Aang cried, pointing upwards to the black smoke that looked silvery in the moonlight. "We'd better get going." Groaning, I packed up my sleeping bag and lugged myself onto Appa's back, leaning heavily against the side of the saddle as we took off.

I slumped over and gazed out at the thing following us; it was some sort of tank, rumbling along and leave huge tracks behind it. This was bad. If that thing kept following us, sooner or later, we'd get too tired to keep running. And it didn't look like whatever that was would ever run out of energy.

"What is that thing?" Toph asked as Sokka snored in the front of the saddle. I envied him. "And how does it keep finding us?"

"I don't know," Aang said, the dark circles prominent under his eyes, identical to the ones under everyone else's. "But this time, I'm gonna make sure it doesn't find us."

We flew all the way up to the mountains, and kept flying higher and higher until we found a plateau flat enough to land on. As Appa touched down, he instantly fell over with exhaustion, sending us all tumbling to the ground, but I was too exhausted to care.

"Okay," Sokka mumbled. "Forget about setting up; I'm finding the softest patch of rock and going to sleep." I crawled under my sleeping bag and let my heavy eyelids close, desperate for sleep.

"That's good because Toph wasn't going to help anyway!" Katara said snappishly and I groaned into my pillow. How did she still have the energy to argue?! I could barely lift my head to shoot her a warning glare.

"Oh, I didn't realize Baby still needed someone to tuck her in bed!" Toph retorted.

"Come on, guys," Aang groaned. "There's something after us and we don't even know what, or who, it is."

"It could be Zuko," Katara pointed out, and I stiffened, my drowsiness vanishing. "We haven't seen him since the North Pole."

"Who's Zuko?" Toph asked.

"Oh, just some angry freak with a ponytail who's tracked us all over the world," Sokka said. "Kioni had a thing with him."

"I. Did. Not!" I snarled, kicking the dirt and causing Sokka's sleeping back to shoot upwards. He landed with a loud thunk on the hard ground, groaning.

"Anyway, whoever's chasing us couldn't have followed us here," Aang reasoned. "So let's all just lay down... get some sleep..." he drifted off as I closed my eyes again and rolled over in my sleeping back.

I let out an internal groan as I twisted, suddenly too anxious to sleep. Could the thing tracking us be Zuko? Last I had seen him, he was escaping Zhao at the North Pole and Iroh basically acted against the Fire Nation. Somehow, I couldn't imagine him being able to get the resources to obtain a giant machine like the one that was following us.

A loud chittering broke me out of my thoughts, and I lifted my head wearily to see Momo dancing around and chirping madly, looking over the cliff. A real groan escaped my lips as I realized what he was getting so worked up about.

"You have got to be kidding me," I mumbled, picking myself up slowly and shuffling to the edge of the cliff. Sure enough, there was the giant machine, rumbling towards us, unrelenting as ever.

"That's impossible!" Aang cried, coming up beside me. "There's no way they could have followed us!"

"Let's get out of here!" Katara said, ready to turn away.

"Maybe we should face them," Aang said. "Find out who they are. Maybe they're friendly."

"Always the optimist," Sokka sighed. The tank shuddered to a stop and smoke filled the air as the main hatch opened and three mongoose dragons crawled out. My jaw dropped as I saw the three girls who had attacked us in Omashu sitting atop them.

"It's them!" Katara cried as they began to race towards us.

"We can take them," Toph said as we all slipped into our fighting stances. "We've got them outnumbered; three on four."

"Actually, Toph, it's there's five of us," Sokka pointed out.

"Oh, sorry," Toph replied, not sounding that sorry. "I didn't really count you. You know, no bending."

"I can still fight!" Sokka shrieked, flapping his arms angrily.

"Okay, three on four plus Sokka," Toph amended and Sokka let out an angry cry.

"Hey, focus!" I commanded. Toph and I jabbed outwards repeatedly and a series of rocks erupted out of the ground in front of the three girls, but their mongoose dragons simply slithered over and kept running.

"Well, we wanted to find out who they were, and we found out," Sokka said, sounding nervous. "Let's get out of here!" Toph and I exchanged glances as the others boarded Appa, and we nodded. Together, we created a barrier of rock that spread all the way across the path the girls were running up, and stood at least ten feet high.

"Let's go!" I cried, grabbing Toph's hand and clamoring up Appa. Toph yelped and pulled her hand from mine, thrusting it outward just in time to summon a rock to absorb three arrows that were flying directly towards us.

"Yip yip!" Aang shouted and Appa gave a distressed groan before rising sluggishly into the air, barely dodging a plume of blue fire.

"I can't believe those girls followed us all the way from Omashu," Katara said as we continued flying, although much slower than usual. I slumped over the side of the saddle, my eyes closing every few seconds.

"I still think we could have taken them!" Toph said.

"Are you kidding me?" Katara cried. "The crazy blue firebending and the flying daggers are enough, but last time we saw them, one of those girls did something that took my bending away. That's scary." I turned to look at Katara in surprise.

"Last time, I heard the girl with the daggers call the firebender something," I said, furrowing my brow and trying to remember what it was. I was so exhausted that I could barely remember anything. "I think she's important."

"Oh no!" Sokka moaned as the sun began to rise over the mountains. "We've been up all night with no sleep!"

"Sokka, we'll be okay," Aang sighed from Appa's head.

"Are you sure?" Sokka cried, sounding hysterical. "I've not slept before! What if I fall asleep and something happens? Something _always_ happens!"

"Every time we land, those girls are there," Katara said. "So, we'll just have to keep flying."

"We can't fly forever," I pointed out, noting how Appa had began to fly much slower than usual.

"So, then, what's our plan?" Aang asked. I leaned back in the saddle, closing my eyes and feeling sleep overtake me slowly.

"I don't know," I heard Katara mumble. "We'll think of something after a short nap..." Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, I squeezed my eyes shut tighter and tried to let the exhaustion drain from my body.

My stomach dropped suddenly and I felt the wind whoosh upwards as I opened my eyes. Panicking when I saw myself being lifted off the saddle, I clutched it with both hands and looked around frantically, seeing the others also gripping the saddle, nearly flying off.

"What's going on?!" I cried.

"Appa fell asleep!" Aang shouted back, panicked. We all screamed as we plummeted downwards. "Appa, come on buddy! You gotta wake up!"

I clenched my eyes shut, feeling the wind rush past faster and faster as we dropped through the air like a stone. Suddenly, Appa stopped and we crashed back down before he started to zoom forward desperately off balance and shaky. I let out a cry as we crashed through the tree; branches whipped my face and arms and I held on as tightly as I could.

Finally, Appa hit the ground and skidded through the trees, finally coming to a stop in front of the river. Aang groaned and slid down Appa's head, collapsing on the ground.

"Appa's exhausted," he said, blinking sluggishly as he fought to keep awake. I glanced over to the bison as I grabbed my sleeping bag and slid down, sighing when I saw his eyes were closed and he was already snoring.

"Okay, we've put a lot of distance between us and them," Sokka mumbled, collapsing on top of his sleeping back and not even bothering to unravel it. "The plan right is to follow Appa's lead and get some rest."

"Of course, we could have gotten some sleep earlier if Toph didn't have such issues," Katara snapped to were Toph was lying spread eagle on the ground. If I hadn't been so exhausted, I would have screamed at her.

"What?!" Toph shrieked, sitting upright and causing cracks in the earth.

"All right, all right!" Aang called, his voice firm. "Everyone's exhausted. Let's just get some rest."

"No!" Toph ground out, turning to face Katara. "I want to hear what Katara has to say. You think I have issues?"

"I'm just saying," Katara replied loftily. "Maybe if you had helped out earlier, we could have set up our camp earlier and gotten some sleep. And then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"You're blaming _me_ for this?" Toph cried, her voice reaching an unnatural pitch.

"Both of you, can it!" I yelled, sitting up and slamming my palms into the ground, causing the earth to shake. Toph and Katara looked to me in surprise, but I had had enough. "I'm _sick_ of you two constantly bickering about everything! You're both being ridiculous and obnoxious and your fighting is the reason none of us can get any sleep! So just sit down, go to sleep and we can work this out _later_ for Koh's sake!"

They were stunned into silence for a minute.

"This is _not_ my fault!" Toph said finally, her voice hard. "And I never asked any of you for diddly squat! Besides, if there's anyone to blame, it's Sheddy over here!" She pointed to Appa. _  
_

"What?!" Aang cried. "You're blaming _Appa_ for this?"

"Yeah!" Toph yelled back. "You wanna how how they keep finding us?" She stomped over to Appa and snatched a handful of fur, which came off easily into her hand. "He's leaving a trail everywhere we go!"

"How dare you blame Appa?!" Aang shouted, and the rest of us quieted, looking at him with wide eyes. I'd never heard Aang raise his voice before. "He saved your life three times today! If there's anyone to blame, it's you! You're always talking about how you're carrying your own weight, but you're not! He is! Appa's carrying your weight! And he never had a problem flying when it was just the four of us!"

Toph stared at Aang for a moment, unspeaking. I saw his face falter as he realized what he had just said, and he opened his mouth to apologize, but Toph stalked away.

"I'm out of here," she said stonily, kicking up her bag and starting to walk away.

"Toph, wait!" I called, but she ignored me, stomping away into the trees.

"What did I just do!?" Aang cried, falling onto the ground and looking horrified. "I can't believe I just yelled at my earthbending teacher! Now she's gone."

"I know," Katara said, sounding remorseful. "We're all just trying to get used to each other. And I was so mean to her." I rolled my eyes. _Now _she realized this.

"Yeah, you two were pretty much jerks," Sokka said.

"Thanks, Sokka," Katara glared.

"No problem," he answered cheerfully.

"We need to find Toph and apologize," Katara said, turning to Aang.

"Okay, but what are we going to do about the tank full of dangerous ladies chasing us?" Sokka asked.

Aang grabbed a handful of Appa's fur and let it float away in the wind. "I have a plan," he said.

* * *

Two hours and one squeaky clean sky bison later, the four of stood at the banks of the river while Aang walked us through the plan.

"Toph was right," he explained. "Appa's fur was leaving a trail right to us, but now that he's clean, no more trail."

"Are you sure he's okay to fly?" I asked, staring at Appa's drooping eyes.

"He'll be fine as long as we leave our saddle and all our stuff here," Aang said. "I'm gonna use Appa's fur to make a fake trail and lead the tank off course."

"And I'll go try to look for Toph," I finished.

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to come with you?" Katara asked.

"Katara, I'll be fine," I assured her. "Besides, I don't really think she wants to listen to you or Aang right now. No offense, but I think it might be best if I went alone. We'll meet up with Aang once you ditch the tank."

Katara and Sokka climbed up on Appa and took off, lurching initially and grazing the top of a tree before Appa steadied himself. Turning to Aang, I gave him a tired smile, which he returned, his face set with determination. I watched as he hitched the bag over his shoulder and flew away on his glider.

"And then there was one," I muttered, staring at the empty clearing for a moment before I turned to walk through the forest.

* * *

"Toph!" I called, maneuvering through the trees and pushing away the dense branches. "Toph, come on! I know you're out there somewhere; I just want to talk!"

I made a frustrated noise at the back of my throat, sitting down on a rock. I'd been looking for nearly an hour now, and I wasn't any closer to finding Toph. I didn't know where she could've gone, but clearly I wasn't looking in the right place.

I leaned against the back of the tree trunk and took off my shoes, rubbing my soles ruefully. At that point, I'd been up for over twenty four hours and it was definitely taking it's toll. My eyelids drooped and I struggled to keep myself from slumping forward as I gently massaged my aching feet.

Suddenly, I had an idea. If Toph was walking around the forest somewhere, maybe I could sense her with my feet the same way she used earthbending. I wasn't sure if it would work, since I'd never tried it before, but it definitely wouldn't hurt to give it a shot.

Getting up shakily, I planted both feet firmly on the ground and squeezed my eyes shut. I concentrated hard, digging my toes into the dirt, but I couldn't feel anything moving.

_Come on, Kioni, focus._

Slowly, a tentative mental picture of my surroundings came into view. The heavyset feel of the tree a few feet away, the slight shifting in the soil as the plants swayed gently in the breeze - all these actions caused the tiniest tremors which I absorbed through my soles and filed away into my mind. But try as I might, I couldn't feel anything that was big enough to be a person.

_Maybe I just can't see that far out_, I thought miserably. How I was supposed to find Toph now? The forest was giant.

Suddenly, I felt a distinctive rumbling through my feet that was clearly a human figure walking towards me. I tensed instantly, because whoever it was definitely could not be Toph - Toph was light, and petite and this figure was much heavier.

The person kept approaching, and I whirled around, trying to pinpoint their exact location. I shut my eyes, concentrating hard. There! Behind the boulder. Thrusting my arm out, I sent a rock rippling under the earth to explode beneath their feet.

I heard a loud _thunk!_ and a cry of pain and smirked, satisfied.

"That's the second time today that has happened," a low, mournful voice spoke, causing me to freeze instantly.

That voice was _far_ too familiar.

I stood completely still, not relaxing my fighting stance, holding my breath as the figure emerged from behind the rock. He was short and pudgy, dressed in the simple green robes of an Earth Kingdom peasant, but nothing could mask the grizzled gray beard and the familiar, warm dark honey eyes.

I inhaled sharply, unable to keep the surprise off my face.

"Iroh?" I asked in disbelief.

* * *

**Ooooh, cliffhanger! **

**Thanks so much for all your reviews; we're nearly at 90! Can we get 11 more before the next chapter? It would mean so much to me! I might even be able to get the next chapter up by Saturday... ;) **

**Next up: The Chase, Part 2.**


	20. The Chase (Part 2)

_Previously on The Earth on Fire... _

_"I know, Uncle," he said. "We'll meet again." Zuko bowed slightly, and Iroh rushed forward to hug him. "After I have the Avatar." Zuko unwound his Uncle's arms and climbed into the boat._

_Iroh turned to me. My lip quivered slightly as I rushed forward to hug him tightly. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged him back. "Take care of my nephew," Iroh whispered into my ear._

_"I will," I promised._

_~*•°•*~_

_"You should have chosen to accept your failure," Zhao said menacingly as he approached Zuko's fallen form. "Your disgrace. Then at least, you could have lived." Zhao raised his hand to strike Zuko down._

_That's when the snowball flew into the back of his head, causing him to stumble._

_Zhao whirled around and caught sight of me, standing atop the snowbank with both my butterfly swords drawn. Zuko's eyes widened in shock._

_"Well, if it isn't the Earth Kingdom girl," Zhao sneered. "Here to save your boyfriend?"_

_"More like here to kick your butt," I snarled._

_~*•°•*~_

_I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut harder, concentrating on pulling the energy from the earth, through my palms, and into the soldier's body. I could feel the the spots of life dance through my fingertips and flow like a current into the soldier's wound._

_Gasps erupted behind me. I opened my eyes and nearly screamed in shock as I saw a green glow surrounding my hands and the part of the soldier's body I was touching. Little tendrils of darker green swirled from my fingertips, before sinking into the wound and dissolving. I lifted my hands and the glow faded. The paste had hardened, stopping the bleeding and forming a protective covering over the wound._

_"Kioni?" I turned to see Jian standing in the entrance of the tent, his face a mask of shock. I looked around to see the other nurses and soldiers staring at me with the same dumbfounded expression._

_~*•°•*~_

_"My role was to keep an eye on Zuko," I mumbled shamefully. "But I failed."_

_"Your role is not over yet," Bumi said. My eyes widened. "There will come a moment, not too long from now, where Prince Zuko will make a decision that could alter the course of the war entirely. You are instrumental in deciding whether he makes the right decision or not."_

_~*•°•*~_

_"Bumi that I should travel with you guys for now... but I can't be your earthbending teacher, Aang."_

_"For now?" Sokka asked as Aang slumped, disappointed. I looked into each one of their faces before taking a deep breath._

_"There might come a time when... I'll have to leave you," I said, choosing my words carefully. "When I'll have to follow a different path to reach my destiny. I don't know when, and I don't know how long I'll be gone. I just... no matter what happens, I want you guys to know that I'll always have your back."_

_~*•°•*~_

_I stood completely still, not relaxing my fighting stance, holding my breath as the figure emerged from behind the rock. He was short and pudgy, dressed in the simple green robes of an Earth Kingdom peasant, but nothing could mask the grizzled gray beard and the familiar, warm dark honey eyes._

_I inhaled sharply, unable to keep the surprise off my face._

_"Iroh?" I asked in disbelief._

* * *

"Kioni?" he replied, looking equally puzzled.

I gaped at Iroh, my mouth opening and closing like some kind of stupid looking fish, but I couldn't help myself. It had been _ages_ since I'd seen him, not since Zuko and I left the boat at the North Pole. Iroh looked decidedly different - he appeared to have lost some weight, but not in a healthy way, and looked older and more tired since I'd last seen him.

Still, it was _Iroh_. The softness in his eyes had not disappeared, and I could smell the faint scent of tea that always wafted around him. It smelled so comforting that, before I could stop myself, I ran forward and embraced him.

"Oof!" Iroh huffed, stumbling backwards slightly, but he wound his arms around me all the same. I buried my face in his shoulder, feeling the exhaustion settle into my bones again, making me feel like a child.

"I'm sorry," I sniffed, and pulled away, horrified to feel tears building up behind my eyes. "I didn't mean... I don't know..."

"Do not apologize, Kioni," Iroh said, giving me a warm smile, his strong hands still resting on my forearms. "I have missed you, my dear." I smiled tentatively at him, suddenly feeling loads better.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. Suddenly, I froze. If Iroh was here, then that must mean... "Um, is... is Zuko with you?" I coughed once, my eyes darting around the clearing nervously.

"No, actually," Iroh replied, looking sad. "I'm traveling by myself at the moment." My eyes stilled, settling on Iroh again and widening with surprised.

"What?" I asked, puzzled. "Where... " I trailed off, unsure what to say.

Iroh heaved a sigh and looked at me tiredly. "It's a bit of a long story. What are you doing here, out in the woods by yourself?"

"Also kind of a long story," I hedged, shifting my weight. The corners of Iroh's mouth quirked upwards in a smile.

"Well then," he said. "It seems like this is the perfect discussion to have over a cup of jasmine tea."

I let out a laugh, shaking my head as Iroh chuckled next to me. "I would love to," I smiled, feeling something like home settle in my chest as he pulled out his tea set from his bag.

* * *

"Thank you," I said, accepting the steaming cup from Iroh. We sat on the ground in the clearing, around the small fireplace which Iroh had made. I noticed his teapot and cups were simple and crude, made from clay instead of the porcelain I'd seen him use aboard Zuko's ship. I sipped the tea tentatively, sighing when the exquisite taste spread across my tastebuds. "Oh, Koh, I have missed your tea, Iroh."

"Why thank you," Iroh smiled, his eyes twinkling. "I must say, I have missed having someone around who appreciates it as much as I do."

I set my cup down, and opened my mouth to inquire about Zuko, but Iroh spoke before I did.

"As the lady, I believe you should start," he winked, and I huffed out a laugh.

"I was looking for someone, actually," I said. "She was traveling with us, but... some fights occurred and she left. I was hoping to find her and convince her to come back." Iroh's brow crease and a thoughtful look formed on his face.

"Would this girl happen to be blind, by any chance?" he asked. "Petite, with green clothes, black hair that falls over her face, and a stubborn necessity to do things without the help of others?"

I looked up, surprised. "Yes... that sounds exactly like Toph, actually," I said, titling my head. "Did you see her?"

"I had tea with her not thirty minutes before I bumped into you," Iroh smiled. "I gave her some advice, and I think it got through to her."

"Wait," I said, my brow furrowed. "You had tea with her thirty minutes ago?"

Iroh nodded.

"And you're having tea again with me now?"

"Indeed," Iroh replied, looking unsure as to where the conversation was headed.

"But you just..." I bit my lip, feeling a bubble of laughter expand in my chest. I shook my head, grinning at the ground. "Never mind. What did you say to her?"

"Oh, I simply told her that accepting help from others does not make you weak," he replied, taking another sip of his tea. "It's perfectly alright to let the ones who love you help you."

"That's very sound advice," I said, smiling. "Thank you, Iroh. I've been looking for her for hours now."

"She found me the same way you did," Iroh chuckled. "I don't think my tailbone with ever fully recover."

"Sorry about that," I said sheepishly, looking down.

"Don't be," Iroh smiled softly at me before looking out into the trees, his face falling into lines of sadness and thoughtfulness. "She reminded me of Zuko, actually."

I bit my lip, the nervous feeling returning to the pit of my stomach. "Where is Zuko?" I asked tentatively.

Iroh did not answer for several moments, continuing to look out into the distance. Finally, he turned to me, looking more aged than ever. "I've been following him, actually."

"After the incident at the North Pole, my brother branded Zuko and I as wanted criminals," he told me, and my breath caught in my throat. "We've been making our way through the Earth Kingdom as fugitives, wanted by the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation alike. As you can imagine, the life of a fugitive is not a glamourous one, and it has... taken it's toll on my nephew.

He is lost, somewhat," Iroh continued. "And he thinks he must find his way on his own. He does not want me around right now, but if he ever needs me, I will be there for him."

I blinked, shocked. All this time, I'd imagined Zuko had gone back to the Fire Nation, acquired a new ship and crew and continued on his relentless hunt for Aang, undeterred. The reason we hadn't seen him since the North Pole wasn't because he had never caught up to us, I realized with a jolt. It was because he hadn't even been able to search.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, guilt weighing heavily in my chest.

"What could you possibly be sorry for?" Iroh asked, his tone bewildered.

"I knew what I was doing when I betrayed Zuko at the North Pole," I said, looking at the ground. "But I never meant to make life difficult for you, Iroh. You were nothing but kind to me on that ship, when the whole time I was acting as a spy."

"Kioni, stop," Iroh cut me off firmly. "I don't blame you for what you did. You were simply trying to protect your friends and do what was right. Besides, although Zuko may not appreciate it, I happen to enjoy the simple humility of poverty."

"But I promised you I would take care of Zuko that night," I choked out.

"And you did," Iroh said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You saved him from Zhao, and you made sure he didn't freeze to death in that barren wasteland."

"That was mostly Aang, actually," I sniffed, rubbing the corners my eyes, but feeling the load on my chest lighten.

"Ah, yes, the Avatar," Iroh said. "You have been traveling with him, I presume?"

"Yeah," I replied shortly, feeling words bubble up in my chest, desperate to get out. Iroh titled his head slightly, as if sensing I was struggling with what to say.

And then I just blurted out everything. I told him about how I'd been traveling with Aang and his friends since the North Pole, how I'd healed that soldier at the base, I told him about the rage and fear I'd felt at seeing my hometown captured, I told him what Bumi had said and how confused I was about everything, I told him about the vision I'd had in the swamp, and how we'd met Toph and now how those three girls were chasing us.

I took a deep breath once I'd finished, feeling both completely exhausted and a crushing sense of relief.

"Wow," Iroh said, staring at me with wide eyes. "That sounds like quite an adventure you've had."

"Yeah," I replied, looking down at the ground. Suddenly, I remembered the red-clad girl with the sharp, familiar looking eyes. "Iroh, when we were in Omashu, the girl with the knives called the blue firebender a princess... Princess Azula."

"Ah, yes," Iroh sighed heavily. "Princess Azula. It appears that you have made the acquaintance of my charming niece." My eyes grew to twice their normal size.

"Your... niece?" I gasped, my mind reeling. "So the crazy blue firebending chick is Zuko's..."

"Younger sister, yes," Iroh finished wearily. "I believe my brother has deposed her to track down Zuko and I... and apparently she is targeting the Avatar as well."

"Whoa," I said. "So, those other two girls she was with... do you know them too?"

"Yes, if I remember correctly," Iroh said. "The knife artist is named Mai. And the bubbly pink acrobat is Ty Lee. They always used to hang around Azula when they were young. Those three were inseparable." Iroh's face took on a far-away look again, as if he was reminiscing.

The fire under the tea kettle had long since gone out, and the beating midday sun had faded into a cool afternoon breeze that rippled gently through the forest, making the plants sway. I set down my cup and sighed.

"I should be going," I mumbled, regret coloring my tone. "I'm supposed to meet up with Aang where his trail ends."

"Where are you headed, Kioni?" Iroh asked me in a voice that made it clear we wasn't simply inquiring about my immediate destination. I hung my head.

"I don't know," I answered honestly.

I hauled myself up onto the rock and placed my head in my hands, lost deep in thought, while Iroh packed his tea set into the small rucksack he carried. He looked at me for a long moment before extending his hand.

"Well, I believe all of our paths are about to coincide," he said. "Why don't we go to where the Avatar is? I have a feeling we'll both find what we're looking for there."

I stared at his hand for a second before taking it gratefully, pulling myself up.

* * *

We followed the trail of sky bison fur to a tiny, deserted town. I shivered slightly as we approached despite the scorching heat; something about the run-down nature of this ghost town seemed eerie.

The menacing quiet was broken as the roar of fire cut through the air, followed by a quick series of red and blue flashes. "Azula!" I gasped, immediately running into the town, Iroh hot on my heels.

I dashed around the crumbling stone buildings in search of the firebender, looking upwards when another flash of blue fire caught my eye. My gaze fell onto the rooftops of one of the buildings, and I could barely hold in my sharp intake of breath at what I saw.

Aang leapt across piles of broken debris, avoiding the flames that spurted from Azula's outstretched fingertips as she followed him, catlike in her jumps and leaps. Behind her, an unfamiliar figure dressed in mud brown with close cropped black hair shot red fire from his hands, seemingly targeting both Azula and Aang.

The figure turned and the light fell across an unmistakable red scar that covered half his face. I stepped back in shock.

_Zuko._

I heard a loud cry and my head snapped up to the rooftop again, just in time to see a plume of blue flame blast Zuko off the side of the rooftop. He flew backwards several feet towards me, and then plummeted towards the ground.

"Zuko!" I cried, moving instinctively to kick outwards and raise my arms, creating a column of soil that Zuko fell onto, lowering him less harshly onto the ground.

He tumbled off the earthen column and leapt to his feet, looking around furiously. His eyes landed on me and then widened almost comically; his face drained of all color and he took a step back, mouth dropping open.

I couldn't move, I just stared at him unspeakingly, my mouth slightly parted. If seeing Iroh had thrown me for a loop, nothing could have prepared me for seeing Zuko again. I could barely recognize him without his traditional red Fire Nation clothes and trademark ponytail.

Our staring match was broken a blue flame cut in between us and Aang jumped down the center, rolling out of the way to avoid the fire. I leapt back, startled, as Azula landed behind Aang, shooting another flame at him. Aang blew it away with his staff and then caught sight of me.

"Kioni!" he yelled, running over to me as I fixed my eyes on Azula and settled into a fighting stance.

"Well, well, well," Azula drawled, standing up straight. "If it isn't the crazy king's granddaughter." I gritted my teeth and watched her carefully while Aang stood next to me, his staff outstretched.

There was cry of fury and Azula titled her head backwards, jumping into the air and twisting around the blast of fire Zuko had sent at her back. I summoned a slab of stone to stop the flames from reaching us as Azula shot quick jabs of fire at her brother, sending him flying backwards.

I didn't see where Zuko landed, because at that moment Azula twisted around again, expelling a huge flame from her hands. "Hold on!" I yelled, grabbing Aang's hand and shooting us upward on a spire. Aang used the wind to push us onto a roof and we somersaulted forward onto the rickety shingles.

I stood up just to stumble back as Azula rocketed through the roof directly between Aang and I, propelling herself on twin jets of blue fire. Aang yelped and took off running in the opposite direction, Azula hot on his heels. I ran after them, jumping over the hole in the roof and glanced down, but they had disappeared.

Perched on the edge of the quickly crumbling roof, I looked around frantically, inhaling when I saw one building catch fire completely. I was about to jump down when I saw a blue clad figure dash into the room, her arm outstretched and covered in water.

_Katara_, I thought in relief. I leapt down as Katara ran out of the room again, followed by Azula and then Aang. Sokka emerged from one of the buildings and blocked Azula's strike with his club, glaring at her as she stepped backwards. Azula struck forward at Aang again, but I blocked her fire with a stone dagger, and then shot it towards her, but she simply blasted it into fragments.

Katara sent a water whip her way, but she ducked, rolling around and shooting jabs of fire at the waterbender, who summoned a sheet of water to absorb them. We stood around her in a semicircle, nearly cornering her as she walked backwards into an alley, her sly smirk still in place.

Suddenly, the earth shifted beneath Azula's feet, and she fell forward with a cry, revealing a green clad earthbender with a smug look on her face.

"I thought you guys could use a little help," Toph grinned. My mouth quirked upwards.

"Thanks," Katara replied, smiling.

Azula scowled, getting to her feet and sending blasts of fire at us as she backed away. Toph and I blocked the fire with slabs of earth and Azula dashed into a gap between two buildings in an attempt to escape.

I ran after her just in time to see her run headfirst into Iroh and stumble backwards. Zuko and Iroh slipped into our semicircle beside me as we walked forward, all in fighting stances and backed Azula into a corner.

She was trapped, and judging by the way her eyes darted around at the seven of us, she knew it.

"Well, look at this," she scorned, only her tense posture revealing nervousness. "Enemies and traitors all working together." Nobody said anything, not taking our eyes off her for one second. I could feel Zuko's presence on my left, not three feet away, but I didn't dare glance over at him.

"Alright, I'm done," Azula said with only the slightest hint of bitterness, holding her hands in the air. "I know when I'm beaten. You've got me. A princess surrenders with honor."

None of us moved. Azula's eyes darted at each of us again, before settling on Iroh. Her malicious smile curved upwards slightly.

Before anyone could do anything, she spun around, quick as flash and shot a single flame at him.

Unsuspecting, Iroh staggered back with a cry as the fire hit him squarely in the chest, falling to the ground. Zuko let out a horrified shout and we all leapt into action, attacking Azula with our combinations of water, air, earth and fire, but she whipped her arms out in a force field of pure energy.

The spot where she was standing exploded on impact, sending us all skidding backwards. I brought my hands up to my face, shielding myself from the heat and ash that washed over the clearing. Once the smoke cleared, I lowered my hands, coughing slightly.

Azula was gone.

A distressed noise came from near my right, and I spun around to see Zuko crouched over Iroh's fallen form, his shoulders shaking. Opening my mouth as fear jolted through my chest, I took a step forward.

Zuko glanced back to see the rest of us staring, and something hardened in his expression. "Get away from us!" he shouted. Iroh made a pained noise from where he lay on the ground, his eyes not opening.

"His heartbeat is weak," Toph whispered, staring at Iroh with glistening eyes. "I can barely feel it."

"Zuko, I can help!" Katara cried, putting a hand on her water skin.

"LEAVE!" Zuko roared, throwing his arm outwards and sending a wave of fire careening over our heads. I ducked and spun to the side to avoid it, not taking my eyes off Iroh's fallen form. Fear and adrenaline were pumping through me, blocking out the intense grief I could feel creeping on the outer edges of my mind.

"Let's go," Aang murmured, and he, Katara, Sokka, and Toph started to run away.

I didn't move.

"Kioni, come on!" Sokka called, stopping. They turned to stare at me confusedly, but I met their gaze.

"No," I replied steadily. "I'm staying."

"What-" Aang began, his eyes widening with fear.

"Aang," I said firmly, looking directly in his eyes. "It's time." Aang stepped backwards, shocked, but his expression was quickly replaced by understanding.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly, his gaze darting to the two firebenders. I nodded once, and Aang looked troubled for a moment before he closed his eyes briefly, placed one fist against an open palm and bowed to me slightly. "Okay. We'll meet again, Kioni."

"I know," I gave him a small smile. "Good luck, Aang." Aang and the others turned to leave, but not before he turned to cast me one last look filled with sorrow.

Once they had gone, I turned back to Zuko, who hadn't seemed to notice my exchange and was still hunched over Iroh's body, his shoulders shaking.

"Zuko," I said, walking forward. Zuko's head snapped up and he whirled around to face me, shock and anger evident on his expression. I held my hands up in a gesture of peace.

"What are you still doing here?!" he yelled, clenching his fists. I was shocked to see tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. "Get away!"

"Zuko, please!" I replied, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "Please, I need to help Iroh."

"Don't you dare come near me," he snarled, clenching his fists. I swallowed the lump in my throat and glanced down at Iroh, my resolve wavering at the look of pure hatred on Zuko's face.

No. I had to do this. For Iroh.

"He needs help," I begged, still approaching.

"I said get _away_!" Zuko roared, shooting a blast of fire at me. I summoned a stone to block it and jumped to the side, gasping when Zuko shot more flames at me. I hit the ground and rolled away to avoid the searing heat, leaping to my feet quickly, my eyes wide.

"Zuko, he's going to _die!_" I cried desperately, jumping to the side as he continued to attack me. Zuko simply let out another roar and thrust both his hands forward, shooting a monstrous flame at me.

"Stop it!" I shouted, splitting the flame in half with a rock. I stood my ground as he growled and ran towards me, shooting flames; I summoned a rock and shot it towards him. He leapt upwards to avoid it and spun in the air, bringing his foot down with a cascade of flames.

Gasping, I catapulted myself upwards and flipped backwards until I landed near Iroh, glancing back at him desperately and then back to where Zuko was running my way again, his hands already dancing with flames.

My mind slipped into fight-or-flight mode, running on pure adrenaline. I stomped my foot, creating a protective wall of rock around Iroh and then thrust my hand outwards to shift the ground under Zuko's feet to make him stumble. It registered in the back of my mind that this was probably not the best way to convince him that I didn't mean any harm, but in my defense, it was hard to think rationally when an angry firebender is attacking you.

"I am trying to help!" I screeched as Zuko gave another enraged cry and expelled a large plume of fire towards.

"Oh, likely story!" he yelled back at me. "Why should I believe you!?"

"I can heal him," I cried desperately, ignoring the prick of uncertainty in my chest. I hadn't been able to heal since that time at the General Fong's base, but I had to try.

"Don't touch him!" Zuko growled, spinning around and kicking fire at me. I yelped, barely dodging as the flames grazed my side. Narrowing my eyes, I dropped into a crouch and thrust both hands forward, causing the ground under Zuko's feet to become slippery and send him skidding backwards.

As he lost his balance and teetered on one foot, I stomped my foot and raised my arms to encase him in stone from the ground to his chin. Zuko froze for a second, registering his captive state, then started shouting and expelling fire from his mouth, struggling madly by beating on the walls of his enclosure.

Ignoring him, I ran over to Iroh and brought down the protective walls. I panted heavily as I rolled him over onto his stomach, my eyes moving quickly across his shut eyes and slightly parted mouth. He still appeared to be breathing, but as I pulled away his robes, I winced at the blistering and bloodied skin across his chest.

I rummaged through my bag, finally pulling out the pot of herbs that I had from the Earth Kingdom infirmary. I opened the pot and looked inside; there was only a small amount left, but it would have to do. I dumped the herbs into my hand, but then a flash of panic shot through me as I realized we didn't have any water.

_Focus, Kioni, _I told myself firmly, forcing myself to calm down. _Iroh needs you._

I spit into my palm a few times and rubbed my hands together until it formed a coarse paste. Then, I placed my hand on Iroh's wound and took a slow, deep breath, my eyes sliding shut.

_There is life in the earth._

I continued to take slow breaths, focusing on the little pinpoints of energy pricking up all over my hands. My hands tingled with energy and I smiled softly, seeing the green glow even behind my closed eyelids.

The little orbs flew up my fingertips and down into Iroh's body, fizzling into the damaged tissue and healing, closing and repairing the blocked and damaged chi pathways. Sweat began to bead on my brow as I felt the pulse dull slightly, fading away into a light throb.

_No!_ I thought desperately, my eyes flying open and registering the fading glow. _It's not enough!_

My breathing quickened as I stared desperately at my dimming hands; he wasn't healed yet, he was still hurt, how was I supposed to help-

A tugging at my fingertips pulled me back into focus. I glanced down at my hands and my eyes slid shut instinctively, as if my body was moving outside of my command. I couldn't feel the orbs of energy flowing from the herbs into my fingers and out again, but instead I felt a different energy pulling at the tips of my fingers, an energy that seemed to come from deeper inside me.

Tentatively, I relaxed, gasping when I felt the energy rush out of my fingers and into the wound, quickly repairing the damaged tissue with a much faster speed. Eyes opened wide again, I continued to let the energy flow, staring at Iroh's wound as the skin repaired and healed itself over.

The problem was, I realized as I stared dumfounded at the speedy recovery, was that with every orb of energy that healed Iroh, I could feel the energy draining rapidly from my body. I was literally using my own chi to repair Iroh's damaged chi, using the layer of healing herbs as a pathway, but I was quickly becoming exhausted. My shoulders shook with the effort of staying upright.

_Just a little more,_ I thought desperately, watching the healed tissue grow with half-lidded eyes.

The burst of relief I felt when I saw the final patch of red skin close over to shiny pink tissue nearly caused me pass out. I inhaled shakily, pulling my hands back; they were covered in paste, blood and soot. I could feel the exhaustion nearly collapsing my lungs and my vision was starting to tunnel as I rocked back on my heels.

I struggled shakily to my feet, putting every ounce of effort into standing upright and pushed my hands down, collapsing the structure that held Zuko. He hit the ground on all fours, stunned.

I swayed once before collapsing completely, unconscious before I even hit the ground.

* * *

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**The next chapter might take me a little bit longer to get up, since I have a crazy busy next couple of weeks, but I'll try to get it up as fast as possible. ****Thank you guys so much for your continued support and don't forget to leave a review telling me how you liked the chapter! **

**Next up: Bitter Work. **


	21. Bitter Work

Zuko dropped to his hands and knees, panting heavily. He stayed on the ground for a few minutes, struggling to regain his breath, before he lifted his head.

His uncle lay on his back, arms and legs spread out with his eyes closed, and Kioni was collapsed in a pile a few feet away. Lurching to his feet, Zuko ran over to his uncle and turned Iroh's body towards him, a choked cry of surprise escaping his mouth.

Zuko knew exactly what Iroh's burned chest should have looked like. It should have been inflamed red, a burning raw texture that made his stomach churn and his throat ache. Azula's blue fire should have produced at least a second-degree burn, but the skin Zuko gazed down upon was not the blistering, painful wound of such a burn.

Instead, the skin over Iroh's chest was smooth and a shiny, bright pink that didn't look completely healed yet but was definitely infinitely more healthy than it should have been. Zuko glanced over at Kioni's fallen form, his mind reeling. He thought he'd been imagining things when she leaned over Iroh, her hands glowing green and pressed to his chest, but the evidence was plain as day in front of him.

Somehow, Kioni had _healed_ his uncle.

A groan from Iroh pulled Zuko out of his thoughts, his hands instantly flying to his uncle's chest to make sure everything was okay, but Iroh simply shifted, his eyes scrunching up, but not opening.

_I should get him inside_, Zuko thought. _But first, I need to find some bandages._

Locating his knapsack lying on the dusty ground a few yards away, Zuko brought it over and rummaged through it until he found the meager first aid kit Sela had indiscreetly slipped into his bag when he stayed with them. He winced slightly, remembering the expression of hatred on her face after he'd revealed himself, but it wasn't the fury there that had hurt as much as the underlying fear.

Pushing the painful thoughts out of his mind, Zuko started dressing Iroh's wound. It was quick work, mostly because he barely had to treat the burn, just make sure it stayed covered and infection-free. Wrapping the rest of the bandages into a small roll, he placed them back in the knapsack and looked around the area for a shelter.

He located a small, run down shack that hadn't been entirely burned down in the fight, and hooked his arms under Iroh's, starting to pull him over. His uncle was too heavy for him to carry, so Zuko had to settle for half-dragging him into the shelter. He tried his best to avoid all the rocks in the path, wincing whenever Iroh's body was jostled.

Finally, after some careful maneuvering Zuko managed to prop Iroh up against the wall of the shelter and put some sacks of feed under him for support. He wiped his brow and stood up, staring at his uncle for a moment, a sad pang going through his chest. As he went back outside to grab the rucksack, Zuko's eyes landed Kioni and he stopped, hesitating.

The intense anger and hurt he'd felt at seeing her had burned away into shock as he'd watched her heal his uncle, but it still throbbed painfully somewhere deep in his chest. At the same time, he found himself unable to turn away and leave her for the buzzard wasps. Lying there, on the hot ground, she looked so... fragile.

Zuko was reminded uncannily of the night of the explosion, the way cold panic had gripped him when Kioni had passed out on the beach beside him, the paralyzing fear of not knowing if she would wake up.

_You can't just leave her there, _a soft voice said to him.

"Why not?" Zuko grumbled, unaware he was speaking aloud. "I don't care what happens to her." Even he could hear the falter in his voice.

_Yes you do, Prince Zuko_, the voice said again, sounding faintly amused. _Besides, she saved your uncle's life._

"She betrayed me," Zuko protested, unable to quash the hurt feelings. Despite any misgivings he might have been having, Zuko also remembered all too clearly the contempt on her face that night at the North Pole when she'd humiliated him.

_"I've been spying on you this entire time and you never even realized it!"_

Zuko gritted his teeth, turning his head away from her. "She clearly doesn't care what happens to me, why should I do anything for her?!"

_She didn't leave you at the North Pole_, the voice reminded him. _She didn't let you die._

Zuko stared at her, lying curled up on the ground, her nearly black hair glinting brown in the glaring sunlight, strands of it spilling out of its updo. On one hand, Kioni was his number one enemy as far as he was concerned. She had tricked him, spied on him, and then betrayed him. On the other hand, she had saved him and his uncle numerous times. And if he left her there, surely she'd die of heat exhaustion.

Zuko closed his eyes and let his head fall forward, making a frustrated noise.

"Okay, _fine,_" he huffed at his conscience, stomping over to the girl and picking her up.

* * *

My eyes opened a fraction, squeezing shut at the harsh glare of sunlight. I threw a hand over my eye and tried to sit upright, groaning when the motion sent aches pulsing through my entire body. I flopped backwards, curling in on myself and trying to move without throwing up.

My entire body ached with pain, from my scalp through the tips of my toes. I struggled into a sitting position, my arms shaking as I pushed myself up, and blinked the sleep away from my eyes.

Rubbing my face blearily, I took in my surroundings. I was lying against the wall of some sort of shack, walls which had several parts crumbling away, which accounted for the sunlight streaming through. My eyes raked around the house, finally landing on a very familiar, serious looking firebender sitting in the opposite corner, his arms folded over his chest and his eyes narrowed at me. He looked away the second I met his eyes.

I swallowed dryly, wincing when even that hurt. Right. Zuko.

"How did you do it?" Zuko asked flatly, still not looking at me.

"How..." I rasped, my voice dry. I cleared my throat once, trying to dispel the dry feeling. "What?"

"My uncle," Zuko emphasized, his voice testy. "How did you heal him?"

"I..." I gaped for a moment before clearing my throat again. "Um, I'm not really sure. I've only done it once before. But I, uh-" I winced as a sudden spike of pain shot through me.

Zuko didn't say anything as I closed my eyes and breathed deeply a few times, until the pain subsided into a dull throb, right above my stomach. I leaned back against the wall and exhaled, opening my eyes slowly and this time noticing Iroh lying on the other side of the shack, his eyes still closed.

"He hasn't woken up yet?" I asked quietly, my eyes cutting over to Zuko. Zuko glanced over at Iroh as well, his face softening with care and worry.

"No," he replied, his voice hardening again. I looked away, instead looking around at the beaten down shack surrounding us. With a jolt, I remembered that I had most definitely not collapsed in this shack.

"You brought me inside?" I asked incredulously, turning to face Zuko again. He met my eyes before looking away, a faint flush creeping up his cheeks.

"Yes."

I blinked in surprise. "I thought you hated me."

A pause. "... I do."

I bit my lip, confused. "Then why..."

"I wasn't just going to leave you to the buzzard wasps," Zuko looked me in the face, a scowl forming. "You saved my uncle, and you thought I would just watch you die? I'm not heartless, despite what you may think."

"I didn't..." I trailed off into silence, looking down at the ground and feeling awkward.

"What are you even doing here?" Zuko continued, sounding angry as he clenched his fists and sat upright. "Why are you with the Avatar? Shouldn't you be with your grandfather in your big fancy city in your fancy palace with your fancy clothes and people waiting on you, _Princess_?" He spat the word at me.

I stared at him, disbelieving, but I didn't feel any anger, only a deep, tired sadness.

"You don't know?" I asked quietly. Zuko narrowed his eyes at me.

"Don't know _what_?" he growled. I furrowed my brows in surprise, looking at his angry face. He really had no idea.

"I don't have a city anymore," I whispered, looking down at the ground. Despite my soft tone, my voice echoed in the small room. "Omashu was captured by the Fire Nation weeks ago. Everyone had to evacuate. My grandfather is still being held prisoner."

I glanced up to see surprise cross Zuko's face, replacing his furious expression. His eyes widened and the breath _whooshed_ out of him, leaving him sitting there with his mouth slightly open, as if he didn't know what to say.

A groan caused us to look over at Iroh, who had awoken and was struggling into a sitting position. I let out a breath of relief as I saw him sit up, looking tired but perfectly alright.

"Uncle!" Zuko bolted up and walked over to Iroh, kneeling down in front of him as he rubbed his eyes. "You were unconscious. Azula did this to you; it was a surprise attack."

"Somehow, that is not so surprising," Iroh muttered, leaning back against the wall. Zuko pursed his lips and lifted the tea kettle off the fire, pouring some into a cup and handing it to his uncle.

"I hope I made it the way you like it," he murmured and my face softened. Iroh smiled gratefully at his nephew before taking a sip of the tea. His face contorted briefly in disgust before quickly smoothing out into a faint grimace and I couldn't help the snicker that escaped my mouth.

Zuko's eyes flitted over to me in a glare the same moment Iroh's did, his eyes widening in surprise. He set down his cup of tea and got to his feet immediately, not even wincing at the strain on his chest.

"Uncle!" Zuko protested, trying to push Iroh back down. "You're hurt, you need to lie down!" Iroh ignored him and walked over to me, his face determined and his eyes blazing. I shrunk back, nervous and confused. Iroh looked... angry.

"I feel fine, Prince Zuko," Iroh said, kneeling down next to me and looking me in the eyes. I fidgeted, confused by his strange demeanor. "Much better than I should after such an attack." I swallowed and looked down.

"She healed you," Zuko spoke, his voice uncertain. "I don't know how, she had some kind of paste..."

"No, it was more than that," Iroh's eyes searched my face. "Kioni?"

"I, uh..." I stammered. "I used my chi," I whispered, not looking at him.

"Dear, you must speak louder," Iroh said, firmly but not unkindly.

"I used my chi," I repeated, panicking when Iroh inhaled sharply, his eyes wide. "Iroh, I didn't have a choice!" I cried out, lurching forward and gasping when the movement sent pain flaring up my body. "You were hurt, I didn't know what to do, it was the only way-"

"Do you how _dangerous_ that is, Kioni?" Iroh said in a low voice, cutting me off. I flinched, shrinking back at his tone of voice.

"I didn't mean..." I trailed off, feeling tears well up behind my eyes. "I panicked, Iroh! I couldn't... not with just the herbs..." I choked off into a sob, my shoulders shaking.

A warm embrace surrounded me and I leaned into Iroh's chest, quivering as my tears wet his shirt. "Hush, don't cry," he soothed, rubbing my back. "You are still very weak, you need to rest."

"I'm fi-" I protested, trying to lean back, but Iroh fixed me with a look and I closed my mouth. "Okay," I mumbled looking down at my lap.

"I don't mean to be cross with you, child," Iroh said, titling my chin up so I looked at him. "But that was a very, very risky move to make. We will discuss this later, after you rest." I bit my lip, feeling about seven years old.

"I don't regret it," I replied, looking at him defiantly, despite the exhaustion seeping through my body that was causing my eyelids to droop. "Would do it again... to save..."

* * *

Zuko watched, dumbfounded as his uncle lay a sleeping Kioni back down, taking care not to jostle her. Iroh stood up, his shoulders hunched as if a heavy weight had suddenly been placed on them.

"What was that?!" he burst, his mind reeling. "Uncle, why did you-"

"Hush, Zuko," Iroh said firmly, walking over to him and taking his arm. "Let us speak outside." Still confused beyond belief, Zuko followed his uncle outside.

"What's going on?" Zuko demanded as soon as they exited the shack. "What did she do?" Iroh heaved a heavy sigh and turned to face his nephew.

"Waterbenders can heal by manipulating the energy flowing into the water and using it to replenish the damaged chi in a person's wound," Iroh explained. "I assume the herbs Kioni used have a similar energy stored inside of them.

However, the energy in those objects is not nearly as strong as the chi that flows through our own bodies. It can heal deadly wounds, certainly, but to do so takes immense patience and skill. Somehow, Kioni managed to manipulate her own chi, which is far more powerful in energy, and transfer it into my wound.

I should be feeling far greater pain and discomfort from this wound, even if it were healed by bending regularly," Iroh said, looking grim despite his words.

Zuko opened and closed his mouth, more confounded than ever. "She _transferred_ her chi into your body?" he gaped.

"Yes," Iroh said darkly. "But in the process, she drained her body immensely. Had she continued..." Iroh trailed off, but his unspoken words were clear.

_She would be gone._

An unbidden spike of fear ran through Zuko.

"She needs rest," Iroh continued. "She has weakened herself beyond belief and her body needs time to replenish the lost chi. Once she is strong enough to move, we should find a proper healer."

"What?!" Zuko cried incredulously. "She can't travel with us!" Iroh fixed him with a steely look, opening his mouth, but Zuko cut him off.

"Have you lost your mind, Uncle?" he exclaimed, growing angry. "Have you completely forgotten who she is? She _spied_ on us Uncle, she tricked us all! She's probably spying right now for the Avatar!"

"She doesn't know where the Avatar is, Zuko," Iroh said in a low voice. "I talked to her in the forest, they are not headed for a specific destination. The Avatar needs to learn earthbending."

Zuko couldn't believe what he was hearing. "She is the _enemy._"

"Would an enemy leave her friends behind to save me, Zuko?" Iroh demanded, raising his voice. Zuko stepped back, surprised by his sudden outburst. "Would someone who doesn't care risk her own life for mine?"

"I... I didn't say she doesn't care," Zuko faltered.

"But you are thinking it," Iroh said, staring at him. Zuko shifted uncomfortably, his skin prickling under his uncle's gaze. "I know you have mixed feelings about her Zuko, and I know she hurt you, but she needs our help."

"Why should we help her?!" Zuko cried, lashing out with his hands. "She's done nothing but sabotage us!"

_"She risked everything for us,_" Iroh said, his voice cold. "Don't you understand, Prince Zuko? We are _all_ she has right now. She has lost her city, her grandfather, and she just left behind any hope of reuniting with her friends to _save my life_. Have you forgotten she saved yours too?"

Zuko flushed with shame, properly chastised.

"We will discuss this later," Iroh said with a certain finality, turning away from Zuko. "There are other things we must discuss, nephew. Namely, your sister."

"Azula," Zuko hissed, clenching his fists and feeling his skin prickle for an entirely differently reason. "I know what you're going to say: she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her. But-"

"No," Iroh interrupted him. "She is crazy and needs to go down." Zuko blinked once in surprise before nodding. Iroh turned around to face him, his expression serious.

"It's time to resume your training."

* * *

The next time I awoke, I felt loads better. A cool washcloth was being patted onto my forehead, and my eyes flickered open to see Iroh standing over me with a concerned expression.

"I am glad you see you awake, Princess Kioni," he said, and I fidgeted at the title. I wasn't a princess anymore - not really. The knife throwing girl, Mai, was more of a princess of Omashu than I was at this point. The thought made me nauseous.

"Better," I answered honestly, despite my churning stomach.

"I owe you an apology," Iroh said humbly, and I looked up, surprised. "I have not properly thanked you for saving my life. I got angry at you earlier because I was worried for you, but that is no excuse for letting my gratitude fall wayside."

"I... there's no need to apologize, Iroh," I replied, touched nonetheless. Iroh smiled.

"Would you like to join us for tea?" he offered. "Zuko and I were just about to discuss what to do should we run into Azula again."

"...we?" I questioned, glancing behind Iroh to see Zuko sitting in front of the teapot and steadily avoiding my eyes.

"Of course," Iroh said. "You are welcome to travel with us as long as you need. But I insist on taking you to see a proper healer at the next town we are at."

"I..." I began uncertainly, looking over again at Zuko's stony expression. "Iroh, I can't..."

"I insist," Iroh said firmly, looking at me with such determination that I couldn't argue. I bowed my head and nodded meekly, not noticing Zuko's shoulders tense. "Unless you would prefer not to?"

"I don't really have anywhere else to go," I admitted, feeling the weight of it finally settle on my chest. I really didn't. I had no idea where Aang and his friends went, so I was basically alone in the middle of the Earth Kingdom desert.

"Then it's settled," Iroh smiled, pulling me to my feet and leading me over to the pot. He sat down across from Zuko and I sat in between them, tentatively glancing at Zuko's face, which was still hard as stone.

Yikes.

I glanced around the shack, noticing with surprise that the walls were different, less broken down. "We moved?" I asked, confused, looking out one of the windows and seeing dry land instead of buildings.

"Yes, I felt it was safer to not hide in plain sight," Iroh explained, taking the pot off the kettle. "Don't worry, my nephew was quite gentle with you; you slept like a baby throughout the journey in his arms."

My face flushed and I opened my mouth, but Zuko cut me off with a hissed, "Uncle!", his face also reddening. Iroh merely chuckled and handed us our cups of tea. I pushed down my mortification and lifted the cup to my lips and drank, sighing as the warmth spread through my body.

"What do you wish to learn, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked.

"Lightning," Zuko answered immediately, a determined expression covering his face. "Teach me how to produce lightning."

"People can do that?" I asked, shocked. Zuko shot me a glare.

"Lightning is the purest form of firebending," Iroh said, ignoring me. "It is without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion like other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold blooded fire. It is precise, and deadly, like Azula."

"Azula can shoot lightning?" I asked again, my eyes wide. This was just getting better and better. Zuko glared at me again and Iroh glanced over at me, amused. "Sorry," I muttered, taking another sip of tea.

"To perform the technique requires peace of mind," Iroh continued.

"I see," Zuko said, looking contemplative. "That's why we're drinking tea. To calm the mind."

"Oh, yeah, good point!" Iroh said, and I smirked into my cup. "I mean, yes. Come, let us go outside." I got up, somewhat shakily, and Iroh glanced at me worriedly.

"I'll be fine," I insisted when he opened his mouth. "Come on, Iroh, I need to move around!" Iroh gave me a long suffering look and I responded with a pout, grinning when he relented with a sigh.

I followed Iroh outside the shack, accidently brushing against Zuko's side as we tried to walk through the door at the same time. I froze and looked up, meeting his golden eyes which were also wide. A beat of awkward silence past before a blush crept up his pale cheeks and he stepped ahead of me, quickening his pace.

I resisted the urge to smack my palm against my forehead and instead turned to Iroh, who was watching me with a curious, yet slightly amused, expression. "Don't," I groaned, walking ahead of him.

"Teenagers," Iroh chuckled behind me, following us.

We walked about a quarter of a mile outside the town to where Zuko's ostrich horse was grazing. "How did you get an ostritch horse?" I asked, scratching the animal's head gently. She whinnied with satisfaction and nudged her beak against my shoulder, causing me to giggle.

"Found her," Zuko replied tersely. I caught sight of Iroh's frown and pursed my lips, following the two of them to the edge of a cliff. Iroh walked to the edge and breathed deeply, looking over the vast, dry land. Zuko stepped up next to him, while I hung behind a few feet.

"There is energy all around us," Iroh explained. "The energy is both yin and yang, positive energy and negative energy. This energy flows through the water, and resides in the earth, and can be accessed by healers and benders alike. But there is also energy in the air.

Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies," Iroh said, turning to Zuko. "This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in the moment when positive and negative energy come crashing back together, you provide release and guidance, creating lightning."

Iroh motioned for Zuko to step back and he did, walking backwards to stand beside me. We watched as Iroh widened his stance, dragging his fingers through the air with purposeful motion. He rotated his body as blue sparks formed at the tips of his fingers, crackling with energy as he moved them through the air.

Stepping forward, Iroh thrust out with one hand, and lightning shot out of his outstretched fingers with a vicious energy, striking upwards into the sky and illuminating our surroundings with a cold, deadly blue. My mouth parted slightly as Iroh stepped back and followed through with his stance, bringing his hands to his chest.

"I'm ready to try it!" Zuko cried, wide eyed.

"Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it," Iroh said. "You are simply its humble guide. Breathe first."

Zuko inhaled and exhaled deeply before trying the same motions Iroh had done, dragging his fingers through the air in a circular fashion, but no sparks formed at the tips of his fingers. I watched with baited breath and Zuko stepped forward and flung his fingers out with a cry.

The air in front of him exploded, causing Zuko to fly backwards. I let out a yelp as he crashed directly into me, sending the both of us sprawling onto the ground. I groaned as I opened my eyes, Zuko's heavy weight on top of me, and then blushed as his eyes flickered open, his face unmeasurably close to mine.

Zuko's eyes widened and he flushed, leaping off of me as if burned. Brushing myself off, I got to my feet shakily, feeling my joints ache with the force of the fall. _Yeesh, lay off on the Fire Flakes, Zuko._

"Why are you always in the way?" Zuko yelled at me and I looked up at him incredulously.

"Me!?" I cried, disbelieving. "I was just standing there! You crashed into me!"

"Children, do not argue," Iroh said placatingly, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "You have been apart for a while, it is only natural to want to be close to each other."

"_What?!_" Zuko and I shrieked simultaneously, our faces flushing red. Iroh did not even bother to hide his guffaws.

"Take a break, Prince Zuko," he chuckled, waving us off. "We will try again when you are more, er... focused."

With that, Iroh walked back towards the shed, leaving us red faced and sputtering indignantly after him.

* * *

"Argh!" Zuko slammed into the ground again as his explosion knocked him off his feet. I leaned against the tree in the cool shade with Iroh next to me, watching as Zuko gritted his teeth and started the motions again.

"Why can't he get it, Iroh?" I asked as the air blew up in front of Zuko's face again.

"I'm afraid he has not yet achieved peace of mind," Iroh replied sadly. "Until he can solve the confused feelings swirling around inside of him, I don't think he will be able to produce lightning."

"Why can't I do it!?" Zuko cried. "Instead of lightning, it keeps exploding in my face! Like everything always does," he finished in a moan, hanging his head down and I bit my lip to stop from smiling at his dramatics.

"I was afraid this might happen," Iroh said, getting up to walk over to his dejected nephew. "You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you."

"What turmoil?!" Zuko yelled, whirling around angrily.

"Zuko," Iroh replied, calmly but firmly. "You must let go of your feelings of shame and insecurity if you want your anger to go away."

"But I don't feel any shame or insecurity at all," Zuko insisted. "I'm as proud as ever."

"Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame," Iroh said. "But instead it's source. True humility is the only antidote to shame."

"Well, my life has been nothing but humbling lately," Zuko sighed, and my heart clenched with sympathy for him. Biting my lip, I stroked the ostrich horse again and pretended not to listen.

"I have another idea," Iroh said. "I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula does not know, because I made it up myself." Zuko turned to face his uncle, a small smile on his face.

_He looks really nice when he smiles_, I thought unconsciously, feeling my cheeks heat after the thought. It was true though, when he smiled the lines of anger around his face and scar faded, making him look a lot less menacing. I realized with the appealing features he had, which were especially visible with his new close cropped haircut, he would have been undeniably handsome had it not been for the angry red scar covering half his face.

_If not for the scar._ Of course everything had lead back to that.

Iroh led Zuko back towards me and motioned for him to sit on the ground in front of me. Zuko didn't look at me, instead turning his face towards Iroh so the scarred side faced me. Iroh picked up a stick laying on the ground and began to draw in the sand.

"Fire is the element of power," Iroh began, and I realized he was drawing the Fire Nation emblem in the sand. "The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want."

That was certainly true, I mused from my spot leaning against the wall of the shack. Despite all his faults, you couldn't really say Zuko didn't have determination. And Azula... I shuddered slightly, wondering if she had ever _not_ gotten what she wanted, either through the work of others or by her own hands.

"Earth is the element of substance," Iroh continued, drawing the Earth Kingdom emblem above the first one. "The people of the Earth Kindgom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring."

I sat up straighter, a spark of pride coursing through me. Diverse, certainly, you couldn't have a country as big as the Earth Kingdom and not have diversity. Strong, persistent, enduring... I thought proudly of the earthbender prison we had seen where they'd broken out, and the way the citizens of Omashu had continued to resist despite capture.

"Air is the element of freedom," Iroh said. "The Air Nomads detached themselves from and found peace and freedom. Also, the apparently had pretty good senses of humor!"

Iroh grinned and I chuckled softly, thinking of Aang's numerous attempts at humor. _Good_ senses of humor, maybe not, but you certainly couldn't blame the kid for trying. Zuko's face remained impassive, and Iroh cleared his throat before drawing the final symbol in the sand.

"Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything."

"Why are you telling me these things?" Zuko asked, sounding confused but not angry for once.

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places," Iroh explained seriously. "If you take it from just one place, it becomes rigid and stale." Iroh drew two lines to separate the emblems he had drawn into four areas. "Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations, will help you become whole.

Iroh drew a circle, joining the ends of the lines together and enclosing the four emblems. Something powerful rose in my chest that I couldn't explain. I struggled to make sense of Iroh's words, so full of wisdom, as I stared down at the drawing in front of me.

_Everything is connected_.

"All this four nations talk is sounding like Avatar stuff," Zuko said, a petulant tone creeping into his voice.

"It is the combination of the four elements within one person that makes the Avatar so powerful," Iroh said, poking Zuko in the chest twice with his stick. "But it can make you more powerful too. You see, the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned by studying the waterbenders."

Zuko's face lit up with wonder in a way I'd never seen before, and it made my heart do funny things in my chest. Iroh extended a hand to Zuko and pulled him up, leading him closer to the house. I leaned back against the wall as Iroh began to move, shifting his weight and hands in a circular motion.

"Follow my motions," he instructed, and Zuko began to mirror Iroh's movements. The movements they were doing looked a lot like the ones I'd seen Aang and Katara practicing when she was teaching him waterbending.

"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy," Iroh said as they stepped in a circle. "A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponent's energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning."

The sun was starting to set over the mountains, causing the clearing to be bathed in a soft golden light that shone upon Zuko's face when his eyes widened with awe.

"You can teach me to redirect lightning?" he asked and Iroh nodded, smiling slightly.

"If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it," Iroh said, reaching up to point at one hand. "You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach." Iroh mimed the pathway on his own body.

The stomach detour is very important. Your stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Only in my case, it is more like vast ocean," Iroh chuckled heartily and I let out a small laugh, but worry seeped in through me as I remembered the stabbing pains I'd felt in my stomach after using chi-healing on Iroh.

"From the stomach, you direct it out again and up through the other arm," he finished. "The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart, for the damage could be deadly. You may wish to try a physical motion to get a feel for the pathway's flow. Like this."

Iroh demonstrated the motion once more: up the arm, down to the stomach and up through the other arm. Zuko mirrored him, but his movements were tense and awkward. Iroh frowned before glancing behind Zuko at me.

"Kioni, come here." Surprised, I pulled myself up and walked over to stand between the two firebenders. "Perhaps you should try the same motion, to get your own chi flowing more clearly."

I settled into a stance as Iroh guided my hand through the motions the first time, dragging my fingertips down one arm, through my stomach, and up through the other arm. He stepped back as I cautiously tried it for myself before slowly settling into the rhythm.

Zuko began to start the motion again, standing directly in front of me as we moved in, down and up out in synchronization. I concentrated on the flow of energy in my body. I could feel the chi flowing through the pathways, occasionally slowing as if turning into sludge, but I forced it to push forward and continue the flow.

"Are you focusing your energy?" Iroh asked from behind us. "Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up and out?"

"I think so," Zuko murmured. I glanced up at him, but his own face was drawn with concentration, focusing on the flow of his fingertips through the pathways.

"Come on," Iroh chuckled. "You've got to feel the flow!"

_In, down, up and out. _I breathed deeply, letting the air flow through my mouth as I felt the chi flow through my body. I could feel myself growing stronger, as if an obstacle had been removed from my system, allowing my energy to move more easily and freely.

I glanced upwards and met Zuko's eyes, slightly startled to find him already staring at me, but I didn't falter in the flow of my movement. We shifted through the stances, in, down, up and out, not breaking gaze. His golden eyes were deep with emotion, and my heart rate increased.

_In, down, up and out._

Despite the strange feelings swirling around in me, I felt an unnerving sense of calm as I looked into Zuko's face. The air buzzed with something intangible between us, but I couldn't look away as we continued to move in absolute synchronization, not touching at all, but still connected in a way I didn't understand.

"Excellent," Iroh said, shattering the moment. "You've got it!" I released a rush of breath as I stepped back, glancing away from Zuko, out towards the desert.

"Great!" Zuko said, his voice confident yet somewhat hoarse. He leaned foward and covered his fist with his other hand, bowing slightly to Iroh. "I'm ready to try with real lightning!" My jaw dropped. _What?!_

"What, are you crazy?!" Iroh said in shock, stepping back. "Lightning is very dangerous!"

"I thought that was the point!" Zuko said, his voice growing angry again. "You teaching me how to protect myself from it."

"Yes, but I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!" Iroh cried, throwing his hands up.

"Zuko, be reasonable," I tried, but he turned to me with a glare.

"If you're lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all," Iroh said solemnly.

"Uncle, when have I _ever_ been lucky?" Zuko demanded, sounding exasperated. Iroh didn't answer, turning away from Zuko with his face troubled.

"Well, if you won't help me," Zuko gritted out, clenching his fists. "I'll find my own lightning."

"What?!" I gasped as Iroh closed his eyes in resignation. Zuko ignored me, mounting the ostritch horse and setting out for the mountains about a mile away, where storm clouds were gathered. "Iroh, you can't just let him go!"

"I'm afraid I don't really have a choice," Iroh said sadly, watching his nephew ride away. "Zuko is very stubborn." I stared open mouthed at the older man, not believing what I was hearing.

"But... but... there's actual lightning over there!" I sputtered. "He won't be able to redirect it! Surely you have to stop him somehow!" Iroh didn't answer, turning away from me.

I groaned with frustration, pinching the bridge of my nose with my fingers. This was _just_ like the North Pole, with Zuko being idiotic and reckless and charging into danger's path without any plan whatsoever. _It's really a wonder he hasn't been killed yet_, I thought dryly. _Clearly he has more luck than he believes._

Despite any luck Zuko might have, luck wasn't going to stop him from getting fried to a crisp by a bolt of lightning. Lightning didn't care about luck, I mused, thinking grimly of Azula. It had one sole objective, one goal, and anything that stood in the way of that goal would be destroyed.

"I'm going after him," I decided, not waiting for Iroh's response before I swung myself over the side of the cliff, landing with a thud on the hard ground below. Inhaling deeply, I struck out for the mountains, using my bending to make the earth move under my feet.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I muttered, holding a slab of earth above my head. As I had neared the mountains, it had started to rain and water was falling rather rapidly. Despite the makeshift umbrella I'd made, I was quickly getting wet.

And Zuko was nowhere to be found.

I made a noise of frustration in my throat and leapt from one mountain to another, curling my fingers to fasten myself in the side of the earth so I didn't slip. The sky had darkened and thunder boomed occasionally, meaning lightning couldn't be far behind. I pushed down my worry and raked my eyes over the range, searching for a human figure.

_Come on Zuko, where are you?_

Suddenly, another roar sounded from somewhere near my right. I froze, turning my body towards a large mountain that rose above the rest. The noise faded, carried away from the wind, but it was unmistakably human.

I thrust my hand out, creating a stone pathway that jutted out from under my feet towards the mountain. Sprinting forward on the platform, I leapt off the end and flew through the air until I landed in a crouch on the other mountain, landing on a pathway that ran up the side of the mountain, easily climbable by a non earthbender.

I ran up the pathway to the peak, glancing out from behind a boulder and letting out a quiet sigh of relief when I saw a human figure standing on the flat summit, his hands clenched and his face turned upwards against the sky, seemingly not caring about getting wet through.

"You've always thrown everything you can at me!" Zuko yelled at the sky. I flinched slightly at the pain and rage in his voice. "Well, I can take it! And now I can _give it back_!"

I stood behind the boulder, unable to move as lightning flashed a few miles away, lighting up the sky. Zuko let out a roar of pure pain, shaking with the force of his anger. It was terrifying, yet all I could feel was a terrible sadness that caused my heart to ache inside my chest.

"Come on!" Zuko roared in the direction of the lightning. "Strike me! You've never held back before!"

The air directly above Zuko crackled menacingly and the sky split open, a blue flash forming above Zuko's head. Zuko stared up, rigid in his stance and pointing his finger upwards, his face a mask of cold fury and determination.

"_No!"_ I shrieked as the lightning flashed down towards him. I pushed the rock out in front of me with all my might, causing it to zoom forwards and ram into Zuko's body, sending him flying forwards. He slammed into a boulder on the side of the mountain as the lightning struck with an earth shattering explosion.

I skidded backwards and shielded my eyes as bits of rock flew everywhere and the stench of ozone filled the air. The dust cleared, and where Zuko had stood seconds before, where the rock had pushed him out of the way, now only stood a pile of rubble and wisps of smoke curling into the air.

I stared at the smoking crater in front of me, disbelief and frustration causing me to clench my fists, forcing away the cold panic that had gripped me. How could he be so _reckless_ and _stupid_?!

"What are you doing!?" Zuko roared. I looked up to meet his furious gaze. He stood by the boulder his fists clenched and his face streaming with water.

"What am I doing!?" I yelled back, incredulous. "What do you think _you're_ doing?" My voice reached an unnatural pitch as I tried to push down the hysteria that had been clawing it's way up my throat.

"I was redirecting lightning!" Zuko shouted, looking absolutely enraged. He stomped towards me, shaking with rage. "I was going to to do it before you got in the way!"

I stared at him, mouth agape. "You were going to get _killed!_" I shrieked, waving my arms in the air. Zuko stepped back as if slapped, his eyes widening with shock and then narrowing again the next minute.

"I'm not weak!" he roared. "I don't need you to protect me!"

"Oh, really?!" I shot back, feeling the frustrated tears form at my eyelids. The panic was rising up again, but I converted it into anger to avoid facing the cold grip on my heart. "Because it looks like you do unless you want to be fried like a crispy tiger cricket!"

Zuko made a noise of frustration and stomped his foot, causing sparks to rise from the ground. A thrill of shock shot through me as I saw water at the corners of his eyes. Were those _tears?_

"You are always in the way!" he bellowed, his face drawn with anger. "I would have captured the Avatar at the North Pole if it hadn't been for you interfering! And again now, you are constantly _in my way!"_

"You would have died in the snow at the North Pole!" I shouted back furiously. "Just like you would have been killed again now! I've saved your life at least four times now, and yet do I ever get any sort of gratitude?! No! I never get anything but anger and hatred from you!"

"Because it is _none of your business!" _Zuko yelled, his fists clenched and water running down his face so quickly I couldn't tell what was rain and what were tears. "I didn't _ask_ to you stop Zhao at the North Pole! I didn't _ask_ you follow me out here! I didn't ask you do to anything! Why are you _here!?_"

"BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU, YOU IDIOT!" I screamed at him, finally snapping. The wind was whipping my hair all over the place and I was absolutely drenched as I panted heavily, my eyes wild. "I care about you and I'm not going to let you get _killed_ because you're too moronic to use that lump in your head that you call a brain!"

Zuko stopped, his expression shellshocked. Thunder roared and lightning flashed in the distance, and the rain was falling so furiously now it was like a curtain of icy water pouring all around us, but I was too filled with anger and adrenaline to notice. Suddenly, something hardened behind Zuko's golden eyes.

He took three steps forward, grabbed my shoulders, and crashed his mouth onto mine.

I froze, my eyes widening in shock and then sliding shut of their own accord as Zuko's hands trailed down my arms to grip at my waist. Instinctively, I stepped closer and tangled my hands in the front of his shirt, tilting my head to the side and deepening the kiss furiously. All thoughts of rationality and reason flew out of my head; we could have been struck by lightning that very moment and I wouldn't have noticed.

Zuko's lips were slick with rainwater against mine, moving with a bruising passion that had me gasping into his mouth. Despite the freezing rain, his ragged breath was hot on my skin, washing over my lips and cheeks and making my goosebumps rise on my arms that had nothing to do with the cold.

I kissed him back furiously, still thrumming with anger and adrenaline as he gripped my hips hard, his fingers digging unmercifully into my soaking skin. His teeth clacked against mine as my mouth parted, his lips moving roughly and messily on mine.

_Oh spirits,_ I thought dazedly as my lips moved against his fiercely, my body almost detached from my mind and responding of it's own accord as Zuko made a desperate noise from the back of his throat that caused shivers to run down my back. _Oh spirits I'm kissing Zuko oh spirits-_

A ragged gasp broke through the air as Zuko stepped back suddenly, as if burned, his mouth pulling off mine with an almost comical pop. I choked in a breath, my eyes flying open as we stared at each other, dumbstruck.

Zuko looked stunned, and I was sure my face betrayed the absolute shock that was coursing through my body. I felt as if I _had _been struck by lightning. His golden eyes were wide and his face flushed all the way down to his neck, his lips slightly swollen.

A flash of panic crossed his face and he turned swiftly, disappearing down the mountain side.

I didn't move, completely thunderstruck, unable to do anything but stare after him, breathing heavily, my mouth slightly open. The rain continued to pound down relentlessly, but I didn't budge, my feet rooted to the round, my mind reeling.

I stood there atop the mountain, alone, as the thunder roared and lightning flashed around me.

* * *

***peeks out from behind rock***

**Well, I'm going to be gone for the next week and a half, so me, being the kind author I am, decided to leave you with a very long, very _satisfying_ chapter. ;) You're welcome.**

**A question: would you prefer longer chapters such as this in the future, which generally encompass an entire episode, or shorter chapters (but more frequent updates)? Let me know, please!**

**Please review! I am both excited and a little bit nervous to see your reactions to this chapter... **

**Up next: The Desert.**


	22. The Desert (Part 1)

Something was wrong.

Iroh frowned, his arms crossed, as he watched the two teenagers bustle around their temporary campsite. Zuko worked on dismantling the fireplace and getting rid of any evidence that they were there while Kioni fed the ostrich horse, stroking the animal's neck and murmuring quietly to her.

Despite the semblance of normality of the scene, Iroh's sharp eyes didn't miss the details. He didn't miss how Zuko kicked apart the wood with more force than usual, or how Kioni visibly tensed as the young man passed her on the way into the shack, or how the two were studiously, determinedly avoiding each other.

Iroh pursed his lips and studied them, puzzled. They hadn't so much as _looked_ at each other all morning. No disdainful glares, frustrated looks, or fleeting glances when the other wasn't looking.

Thinking back to the previous night, Iroh tried to remember Zuko's expression when he had stormed back into the hut, soaking wet, but all he could recall was a stony face and a terse, "I'm going to bed."

"Where is Kioni? She went to look for you!" Iroh had called after his nephew, but had never received a response.

She had arrived about an hour later, just when Iroh was starting to seriously worry, also dripping wet and shaking with cold. Concerned, Iroh had ushered her inside with a blanket draped around her shoulders and questions ready on his lips, but she'd merely huddled in a corner, shivering and silent.

"I... I didn't see him," she had said, distracted, as she'd glanced at Zuko's hunched form in the opposite corner. "I'm tired, Iroh, I'm going to sleep."

Iroh had seen right through her lie, and judging by the way they were currently ignoring each other, he had guessed they'd fought viciously. But something else seemed different in the silence that hung between the two - it was tense, crackling with something undefinable that both set Iroh on edge and made him curious.

_Don't meddle Iroh,_ he scolded himself, just before he saw his nephew glance furtively towards the ostrich horse, something like guilt crossing his face. _They are teenagers, they will work it out for themselves eventually._

* * *

"Who's a sweet girl?" I crooned, stroking the ostrich horse's mane as she gobbled corn kernels out of my open palm. "You are, Izumi, yes you are a good girl."

"You named her?" I whirled around, blushing slightly at the amused look on Iroh's face.

"Izumi," he repeated, walking forward to place a hand on the creature's beak. She blinked lazily at him.

"Yeah, well," I shrugged. "I figured we were in the desert and all, so it seemed appropriate." Iroh's lips quirked upwards as he continued to stroke Izumi's head. He stepped back and looked at me, his gaze questioning and calculating in a way that made me nervous.

"We should be heading out soon," was all he said, however.

"Yeah, Izumi is ready to go and I think... Z-Zuko is packing things up," I finished quickly, a blush coloring my cheeks. I winced slightly as Iroh raised his eyebrows at my stumble, looking down at the ground and hoping he wouldn't press the issue further.

I was fairly sure Iroh suspected something that happened last night, but I was also fairly sure that he didn't know _what_. And thank goodness for that, because I wasn't sure exactly _what _had happened myself.

_Hot breath lips moving roughly tight grip on your waist water pouring lightning flashing-_

I shook my head quickly, banishing the memories from my mind before my blush could become even more pronounced. I didn't know how I could ever face Zuko again. Thankfully, he seemed to be avoiding me as much as I was avoiding him, so our system was working out quite well.

Except for when it wasn't.

_He kissed you he kissed you you kissed him back,_ the incredibly annoying voice in the back of my head chattered, the one that kept flashing back to that moment atop the mountain and setting off weird fluttery feelings in my stomach and had kept me up late, late, late the previous night, tossing and turning and unable to fall asleep.

_Shut up shut up shut up_, I chanted back at it.

"Kioni?" Iroh questioned.

"Sorry!" I straightened, jerked out of my thoughts. "What did you say?"

"I was just saying that we will need to do something about your clothes," Iroh repeated, looking at me curiously.

"My... clothes?" I blinked, confused, and looked down at myself. I was wearing what I had always worn: a light green, V-necked, tunic trimmed with yellow that hung just below my waist with sleeves that reached just above my elbows. Below that, I wore a drape style, darker green skirt that reached just above my knees and bright green leggings that ended above my ankles, with sturdy green flat shoes on my feet.

"And your hair," Iroh nodded. Self consciously, I touched the bun atop my head. I wore my pinned up by two gold chopsticks that belonged to my mother. They were gorgeous, a shining gold decorated with dark green patterns with green opals on the ends. They kept my hair out of my face, leaving just my slightly choppy bangs hanging off my forehead.

"What's wrong with my hair?" I asked, the words coming out more defensively than I intended.

"Oh, nothing, dear!" Iroh held his hands up, backtracking quickly. "I only meant that we are traveling as fugitives now, and you do not exactly look the part."

My brows furrowed, still confused.

"You look like a princess," Iroh explained. "Only the high class citizens of the Earth Kindgom wear such bright colors and elegant hairstyles. We need to blend in more, look like poor wanderers."

"Oh," I said, realization dawning. I felt slightly foolish. "Yes, of course."

"I went poking around some of the houses in the village and found some girl's clothes that ought to do," Iroh said, handing me a bundle of dark brown clothing. I took them from him, nodding my thanks, and walked towards the shack to change.

I faltered in the doorway, my gaze landing on Zuko, who was crouched in the corner and packing the final few things into his knapsack. He looked up instinctively as I walked in, his eyes widening and then darting away as he caught sight of me. The back of my neck prickled uncomfortably.

"I, uh... need to um... change," I shifted awkwardly, not looking at him. Zuko nodded wordlessly, his face pink, and stood, slinging his backpack over his shoulder, before he walked past me and out of the house with his head bowed.

I closed the door behind him and leaned my forehead against it, letting out an audible groan.

The irritating voice in the back of my head increased in intensity whenever Zuko was near._ This is so stupid_, I thought, berating my palms for sweating and my heart rate for increasing. _Stop that._

_He kiiiiissssseedddd youuuu! _the voice singsonged, sounding eerily familiar. _It's totally a thing now._

"SHUT UP!" I shouted in frustration, grabbing my head and stomping my foot once, causing the earth to rumble below me. I did not have a _thing_ with Zuko, that was utterly and unspeakably ridiculous.

"Kioni?" Iroh's voice called from outside, sounding worried. "Is everything alright?"

My face flushed. "Yes, everything's fine!" I called back, my voice a little too high pitched for my liking. Embarrassed, I picked up the bundle of clothes I had dropped and set them on a stool.

I quickly changed out of my old clothes and into the new ones, wincing as the rougher fabric scraped against my I pulled the shirt over my head, I glanced down again, taking in my changed appearance_._

My pants were a dark brown, and slightly loose, reaching halfway down my calves and hugging slightly around the skin there. The tunic was a similar color, sleeveless and with a dark green trim that was barely distinguishable from the brown. It only reached halfway down my torso, so below that I wore a dark green undershirt. I laced up my boots, which were so high I had to tuck the ends of my pants into them, and straightened.

My eyes landed on the only thing left in the pile, a green ribbon that was lighter than the forest green of the other clothing, but still not nearly the jovial color of my previous clothing. Sighing, I reached up and pulled the chopsticks out, letting my dark hair cascade freely down my back.

I looked down for a second at the chopsticks in my open palm as the light flickered off the opals, causing them to gleam in the dim light of the shack. A pang of homesickness shot through me. I felt naked without my traditional Earth Kingdom clothing, as if a part of me had been taken, leaving me exposed.

_You're not a princess anymore,_ I reminded myself. _You're a fugitive._

My fingers closed around the chopsticks and I shut my eyes briefly. Finally, I opened them and slipped the chopsticks into a small pocked on my pack, where they were well hidden and protected. Grabbing the ribbon, I gathered some of my hair and tied it up halfway, enough so that it was out of my face.

Folding my old clothes up and placing them under some burlap sacks (there wouldn't be room for them in my knapsack), I shouldered my bag and walked out of the shack to where Zuko and Iroh were waiting.

Every instinct was screaming at me, but I didn't look back.

Iroh glanced up when he heard me approaching, and his eyes widened as he took in my new appearance. I spread my arms out and raised an eyebrow at him, feeling ridiculously self conscious.

"Wonderful," he smiled. "I can hardly recognize you!"

"I can hardly recognize myself," I muttered quietly as I moved to climb on.

* * *

I winced as Izumi bumped over another pothole, sending jarring sparks of pain throughout my body. We had been traveling along this rocky path for quite a while now, heading towards the nearest town to restock on supplies and find a proper healer. I had insisted to Iroh that I didn't need a healer, after the exercises we had done, I felt loads better.

_Clearly not completely better though,_ I thought, as a small squeak of pain escaped me.

Iroh turned around, his eyes widening as he took in my pale face. "Maybe we should make camp," he suggested, turning back around to face Zuko at the reins, who didn't say anything.

"I'm fine," I gritted out, one hand pressed against my stomach. I gasped involuntarily as Izumi stumbled forward and we were jolted upwards.

Zuko pulled upwards on the reins, bringing Izumi to a stop and I held in my sigh of relief. I slid shakily off the ostritch horse, stumbling slightly as my feet hit the ground, and sat down on a rock, trying to regain control of breathing as the pain slowly subsided.

Suddenly, Izumi let out a distressed cry and her head jerked upwards. I felt the earth rumble beneath my feet as Zuko leapt into a fighting position, his eyes darting around the clearing.

"Oh, what now?" Iroh groaned, exasperated. The rumbling grew louder as five figures burst into the clearing around us, each atop a snarling komodo rhino. With a start, I recognized them as the thugs who had tried to burn down the town of Chin.

"Colonel Mongke," Iroh grinned, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder. He extended his other hand to me, and I took it, pulling myself up to stand beside him. "What a pleasant surprise."

"If you're surprised we're here, the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps," their leader, Colonel Mongke, scowled. He waved his hands around, sliding his armored wrist cuffs together and sending sparks flying.

"You know these guys?" I asked Iroh, who beamed at the thugs as if they were old friends. Zuko gritted his teeth, not relaxing his position.

"Sure," Iroh replied. "Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapons specialist." I glanced around warily at the Rough Rhinos. One wielded a dangerous looking hacksaw, while another notched a flaming arrow in his bow. Across the circle, I saw one swing spiked balls over his head while Colonel Mongke clenched his fists, which were engulfed in flames. "They are also a very capable singing group."

"We're not here to give a concert!" Colonel Mongke growled, his fists extended. Zuko slowly sunk into a defensive position, angling his stance away from me. I blinked. Was he trying to... _protect_ me? "We're here to apprehend fugitives!"

I clenched my fists, feeling both touched and slightly put out. Rubbing my ribcage once and ignoring the slight throb, I shifted into an offensive stance. The ground cracked slightly beneath my feet.

"Would you like some tea first?" Iroh said complacently, still smiling. "I'd love some. How about you, Kaachi?" Iroh turned to the man with the hacksaw. "I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?" Kaachi stared unblinkingly at him.

Zuko and I glanced at each other out of habit. _What is he doing?_

"Enough stalling!" Colonel Mongke said. "Round them up!"

The guy flung his ball and chain towards us, but Iroh whirled around with a grunt and kicked it out of the way, causing it to tangle around another komodo rhino's leg. Iroh somersaulted out of the way as two flaming arrows shot above his head and gave the komodo rhino a sharp smack, making it run forward and pull the other rider off his seat.

I smirked. Two down, three to go. They didn't call him the Dragon of the West for nothing.

A sharp whistling noise came from behind me. "Watch out!" Zuko yelled, pushing me aside and snapping the flaming arrow with one hand. I skidded backwards, startled, as he growled and sent a sharp flame towards the archer, burning his bow.

I rolled my eyes and glanced towards Kaachi, the hacksaw guy, who was running towards me with this saw extended. I whipped my swords out of their case and dashed towards him, kicking myself up on a column of dirt and landing on the head of his komodo rhino.

As he swung the giant weapon towards me, I ducked out of the way and jabbed him with the end of one sword, causing him to fall backwards with a grunt. He flailed on his back as I backflipped off the rhino, landing on the ground on my hands. I used my momentum to push forward through the handstand, sending a spire of rock underneath his komodo rhino.

The rhino let out a cry of pain as the rock hit its soft underbelly and it took off, sending Kaachi sprawling on the ground, bumping along behind it.

I struggled to my feet, still panting heavily and looked over just in time to see Zuko duck under the swishing tail of Colonel Mongke's komodo rhino before jumping onto it's back and kicking Mongke off in an impressive display of flames.

Iroh leapt on Izumi, extending his hand to me as he dashed by. I grabbed it, swinging myself up and landing hard on the running ostrich horse's back. As we passed Zuko, he jumped off the komodo rhino, and onto Izumi behind me, grabbing onto my side for support as he skidding sideways.

The final, masked Rough Rhino followed us as we dashed away. The question of what kind of weapons specialist he was was quickly answered as he pulled a smoking bomb out of his pouch and threw it at us. I gasped as it exploded in front of us bringing up a shield of stone to protect us and then hurling it behind towards him as we emerged from the smoke.

I heard a satisfying thunk and responding cry of pain, but we were already too far gone to look back.

"It's nice to see old friends," Iroh grinned as we sped off. Old _friends?_

"Too bad you don't have any old friends who don't want to attack you!" Zuko hissed. Iroh turned back to us, his eyes wide and confused.

"Hmm... old friends who don't want to attack me?" he repeated, bewildered, as if that was a foreign concept. I resisted the urge to smack my palm against my forehead. However, when I made to move my hand, I realized two things consecutively.

First, I could not move my hand, because it was trapped against my side.

And second, Zuko's arms were still very much wrapped around my waist.

I tensed up immediately, my face flushing red. Now, normally, I would have made some sarcastic or teasing comment, like "Getting cozy there, Prince Zuko,", but the weird churning feelings in my stomach that had nothing to do with my weakened chi were starting up again.

"Uh, um, Zuko," I stammered quietly. He looked at me questioningly for a second before he realized and drew his arms back as if stung. I bit my lip and stared forward again, ignoring his blushing face.

I could have sworn I heard Iroh chuckle in front of us.

* * *

"Yeah," the chubby man with the weird ponytail said. "A little barefoot blind girl and her friends passed through here a few days ago."

"Did they give you any indication of where they were headed?" Master Yu asked, folding his arms over his chest in a way he hoped was intimidating. The man met his gaze coolly.

"Maybe you could give me a little... incentive?" he suggested, rubbing his fingers together.

"You suggesting I break your fingers?" Xin Fu said in a low voice, leaning forward. The man cowered back, and Master Yu frowned. Somehow Xin Fu always managed to be scarier than he was.

"They went in the desert!" the man said hurriedly. "Too bad there's almost no chance they survived."

"That's okay, because she's wanted dead or alive," Xin Fu growled. Master Yu turned to stare at him, alarmed.

"No, she's not!" he cried. "I'm certain her father wants her alive!" Neither of them noticed the man slink away slowly.

"Hey, look," Xin Fu said, seemingly ignoring what Yu had just said. He turned to the side and walked towards a bulletin board displaying a series of wanted posters. "Fire Nation wanted posters!"

Master Yu frowned again, staring at the picture Xin Fu was pointing at, of an old man and a young teenager with his hair in a ponytail and a gruesome scar covering half his face. "So?" he asked.

"So, looked who's here," Xin Fu said, gesturing behind him. Master Yu turned and saw the same old man walking towards the tavern, followed by a boy with close cropped black hair and a young girl with dark hair tied in a green ribbon. Upon further inspection, Yu could clearly see the same scar upon the young man's face.

"Hey, isn't that the girl who was traveling with the Avatar?" he asked, pointing out the girl dressed in dark greens and browns. Xin Fu looked closer, then leaned back, a smirk forming on his face.

"Let's get 'em," Xin Fu grinned menacingly, clapping his hands together.

* * *

We finally arrived at a small town directly on the outskirts of the Si Wong desert. I wiped my brow, suddenly thankful for my new sleeveless shirt - it was absolutely sweltering.

"We're looking for a healer here?" I muttered incredulously as we rode down the streets on Izumi, looking around at the shifty eyed sandbenders lurking around. One of them met my eye and gave me a leering stare; I shuddered slightly and looked ahead.

"Hmm," Iroh said. "The Misty Palms Oasis is supposed to be a legendary tourist attraction for it's natural beauty and splendor, a serene destination for those to relax and unwind."

"Right," I raised an eyebrow at the one quickly melting chunk of ice in the center of the square. "Maybe there's been a change in ownership or something since you were last here."

"Ugh," Zuko grumbled, swinging his leg over the side and landing on the ground with a thunk. "Let's just get inside, it's way too hot out here."

I nodded in agreement, sweating profusely under my sun hat. We began to walk towards the restaurant and my mouth watered at the thought of a cold drink.

"Maybe we can find someone to help us in here," I suggested to Iroh as we walked inside, pausing in the doorway and immediately retracting my statement.

The Misty Palms Oasis might have been a haven for serenity and peace long ago, but this restaurant was nothing more than a rowdy tavern. Men cackled heartily in one corner, nearly drowning in beer, while others bragged and brawled and bumped chests, and still others lurked on the sidelines, watching with beady eyes.

Despite the scorching heat, I shivered slightly and stepped closer to Iroh.

"Yes, three mango drinks please," Iroh told the man behind the counter, who looked at us with an unflinching stony expression. I stepped back in surprise as he whipped out two swords and sliced the mangoes expertly, before sliding them into three bowls and pushing them towards us.

I tentatively took the bowl from him and sipped, my eyes widening in surprise. "This is delicious!" I exclaimed. His mouth quirked upwards the tiniest degree.

We slid into an empty booth, slurping eagerly at our drinks. The cool mango was a welcome respite from the hot, dry weather outside, and I sucked the last of the drink from the bowl, sighing happily. Zuko, however, looked anything but happy.

"These people aren't going to help us," he told Iroh, glaring around. "They just look like filthy wanderers."

"So do we," Iroh reminded him. He glanced behind Zuko's shoulder, his eyes widening the smallest fraction. "Ahh... this is interesting." I leaned over to look where he was pointing and saw an ancient looking man sitting alone at a pai sho table. "I think I have found our friend."

"You brought us here to gamble on pai sho?" Zuko asked incredulously.

"I don't think this is a gamble," Iroh smiled mysteriously, getting up and walking over. After a moment's hesitation, Zuko and I followed him. Out of the corner of my eye, I heard a familiar angry voice, but before I could give it an extra thought, Iroh stopped in front of the old man.

"May I have this game?" Iroh asked.

"The guest has the first move," the old man answered, gesturing to the board in front of him. Zuko and I watched as Iroh sat down and picked a tile off the stack, placing it face up in the center of the board.

The white lotus tile.

_"Listen to me, Kioni," Bumi said. "Iroh is an old friend of mine, we are part of the Order of the White Lotus, an ancient secret society that transcends the four nations."_

I blinked once, startled by the words that had popped into my head.

"I see you favor the white lotus gambit," the old man said. "Not many still cling to the ancient ways." He bowed forward slightly.

"Those who do can always find a friend," Iroh answered, bowing in return.

"Then let us play," the old man said, a small smile upon his lips, before he also set down a tile.

We watched as Iroh and the old man put down tiles with astonishing speed and clarity. I sat down on the bench, Zuko sitting down next to me, and simply watched, entranced but utterly confused, as they played. It was nothing like the pai sho I'd played with Iroh aboard Zuko's ship - this was a dance, a choreographed routine of tiles and pieces.

They put down their final pieces, and my eyes widened in surprise. I gazed down at the shape of the lotus flower that was now displayed on the board.

"Welcome, brother," the old man said. "The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets."

"What are you old gasbags talking about?!" Zuko cried.

"Zuko!" I hissed, elbowing him. He turned to me with his mouth open in protest, but stopped as soon as he met my eye, and closed it, looking down. I froze, the room suddenly feeling much hotter than before.

"I always tried to tell you that pai sho is more than just a game," Iroh said, breaking the awkward silence that was forming.

"I'm not waiting all night for these geezers to finish yapping!" a loud shout came from one corner of the tavern. I glanced over my shoulder to see two men storming towards us - one with shoulder length greasy hair and a snarling expression, and the other dressed in fancy Earth Kingdom clothing.

My heart stopped and my mouth opened and closed dumbly as Xin Fu and Master Yu approached us.

What were _they_ doing here?

"It's over!" Xin Fu yelled, and I tried to not show my paling face. "You two fugitives are coming with me! And you!" He pointed at me and my eyes widened further. "You're going to tell me where the Blind Bandit is!"

Panic shot through me, but before I could do anything, the old man leapt out of his chair with astonishing agility and pointed at the three of us, his face accusatory.

"I knew it!" he proclaimed. "You three are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!"

My jaw dropped open again.

"I thought you said he would help!" Zuko cried, the panic clear in his voice.

"He is," Iroh said reassuringly. "Just watch."

"You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?" the old man asked, turning towards Xin Fu and Master Yu.

'Gold' seemed to be the magic word, because as soon as the words left his mouth, all activity in the bar halted and all heads turned towards us. A low murmuring grew from the occupants of the bar, several of whom appeared to have realized what was going on and eyed us with interest.

Before I knew it, about six or seven other shady looking characters had stepped up and were surrounding us. I scooted closer to Zuko, feeling nervous. Judging by the looks on Xin Fu's and Yu's faces, they also seemed to realize the predicament they were in.

"Uh, maybe we should..." Master Yu started, but Xin Fu ignored him and stepped forward, a menacing smirk on his face.

Two men leapt in front of him, their fighting stances at the ready, but Xin Fu simply swung his arms and earthbended them away. Suddenly, all the men in the bar seemed to converge on them, fighting and yelling as the two kicked and punched their way through dozens of drunks and gamblers.

"This way!" Iroh hissed in my ear, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from the fray. I grasped Zuko's hand instinctively as I was yanked off the bench, pulling him with me as we slipped around the corner of the pai sho table. The old man huddled in the corner, waving the three of us through a back exit.

Unseen, we ran out into the night, the old man following us. "Follow me!" he whispered in the darkness. Unable to see much of anything, I gripped Zuko's hand tighter as we stumbled through the town, ducking around a corner.

The old man let out a piercing whistle that would have sounded like a bird cry to anybody else, but it apparently had some meaning, because a light down the street switched on. We moved stealthily towards the door, ducking inside as it opened surreptitiously as we approached.

I glanced around the dimly lit room. We seemed to be in a flower shop, judging by the plants and flowers hanging from hooks and growing on the shelves all around us. The old man shut the door behind us and turned to Iroh, bowing deeply once more.

"It is an honor to welcome such a high ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus," he said respectfully. "Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets." My eyes widened. Iroh was a Grand Master? I wasn't sure what that meant, but it sure sounded important. He walked past Iroh and towards a small door on the other side of the room, Iroh following him.

"Now that you've played pai sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is someone in this club going to offer some real help?" Zuko snapped angrily, following his uncle. I squeaked in surprise as he dragged me along by the hand, tripping slightly over my own feet.

"You must forgive my nephew," Iroh told the other man. "He is not an initiate, and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts." Zuko fumed silently beside me as the old man turned to look at us, his gaze dropping to our linked hands.

Suddenly, realization hit me like a jolt and I dropped Zuko's hand, blushing instantly. I nearly let out a groan of mortification as the old man looked up and met my eyes, his eyebrows raised.

Why did this keep _happening_?

Turning back to the door, he knocked once and the eyehole slid open, revealing a single grayish eye gazing back out at them. "Who knocks at the guarded gate?" the man behind the door asked.

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries," Iroh answered. I didn't know what the words meant, but the door swung open for him regardless. Iroh and the old man walked inside, but the door closed when Zuko made to follow them. Iroh slid the door open and looked at our confused and disgruntled expressions.

"I'm afraid it's members only," Iroh said, somewhat apologetically. "Wait out here." He slid the door closed again, and I pursed my lips, feeling slightly like a child told they couldn't sit at the adults table.

As I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms, I realized that this was the first time Zuko and I had been alone since...

_Since he shoved his tongue down your throat on the mountaintop and then bolted? _my mind oh-so-helpfully supplied.

I rolled my eyes, the blush rising on my cheeks. Judging by the way he turned resolutely away from me, I assumed he also realized this. I turned my eyes to the ceiling, silent cursing the all spirits who had clearly conspired to put me in this situation.

My life was just _wonderful._

* * *

**Oh my god, I'm so so sorry I haven't updated in nearly a month! I promise this story is not abandoned or on hiatus or anything, I just had a really busy few weeks. **

**From now until summer, updates might come less frequently, but please don't worry because I have no plans to abandon this story! It's just school gets really crazy right about now. **

**Also, I wanted to celebrate, because this story has gotten over 10,000 hits! You guys are so awesome and I can't thank you enough for all your amazing support. :) **

**Hopefully I can get the next chapter up by the end of the week, so please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! **

**Next up: The Desert, Part 2.**


	23. The Desert (Part 2)

I stared up at the ceiling of the flower shop, mentally counting the bricks on the rooftop for what had to be the sixth or seventh time. The silence weighed heavily in the air, and the tension was so thick I could almost feel it. I glanced quickly over at Zuko, who was still in the exact same position he'd been in when I'd looked over ten minutes ago - slouched against the wall and staring at the floor.

I heaved a sigh, rolling my eyes. This was ridiculous.

It had been nearly three hours since Iroh had gone in to the other room for his little "club meeting" and Zuko and I hadn't spoken a word to each other in that entire time. At first, I had been content to ignore him because I simply hadn't known what to _say_ to him anymore - it felt like no matter what I said, it would be awkward and uncomfortable.

But after nearly three hours, I would have taken awkward and uncomfortable over the stony silence any day.

I glanced over covertly again, but Zuko still hadn't budged from his position. I didn't understand how someone could remain perfectly still for that long. Already my muscles were stiff from standing still, and I was thrumming with an unused energy that was making me jumpy.

Suddenly, I leaned away from the wall, stepping forward and stretching to work some feeling back into my muscles. Zuko didn't move, didn't look up, didn't even flinch. I put my hands on my hips and glared him, having had enough.

"Is this what it's going to be like?" I demanded, shattering the silence like ice over a frozen lake. Zuko glanced up, his eyes widened slightly with surprise. After three hours of not speaking, my voice was slightly hoarse.

"Are we just going to pretend nothing ever happened?" I continued anyway, getting worked up. "We're traveling together for now, Zuko, whether you like it or not. Are you just going to ignore me forever?"

Zuko turned away, in true form, and ignored me. I clenched my fists and tapped my foot impatiently against the ground, quickly getting angrier. I could feel the words bubbling up inside my chest, but I tried to hold them down.

"You were the one who kissed _me!_" I finally burst out, feeling a blush rise on my cheeks after I said the words. I sounded like a petulant child accusing someone of stealing my toy, but I couldn't stop myself. "So I don't know why _you're_ acting all... why you think you can..." I trailed off into silence, unable to put my frustration into words.

"Why did you even do it?" I asked after a few moments, my voice quiet. I couldn't meet his eyes, so I kept my gaze on the ground, my face pink.

"Why did you kiss me back?" he retorted. I started for a second, shocked that he had actually answered. Glancing up, I met his gaze, which was both defensive and accusatory, although his cheeks were red. My jaw dropped open incredulously.

"I... I asked you first!" I sputtered, blushing further.

"I asked you second!" he countered, staring at me defiantly with his arms folded.

"Are you kidding me?!" I cried, unable to believe what I was hearing. "You kissed me first, and I asked you first, so therefore you have to answer first!"

"There's no rule like that," he answered stubbornly.

"That's how things work!" I practically shouted, flailing my arms. I was steaming at this point. Who did he even think he was?

"Well... well, you didn't have to kiss me back," he insisted, his face flushing a deeper red. "But you did anyway, so that _clearly_ means you feel something!"

My jaw dropped even further. Was he _serious?_

"I don't _feel _anything!" I cried.

"You said you cared about me," he said, making it sound like a horrible crime. I blushed more, my cheeks practically burning at this point.

"That doesn't mean I have _feelings_ for you," I said. "I care about lots of people! I care about Iroh, I care about Aang, I care about Sokka and Katara and my grandfather and Izumi and..." Zuko blinked once, seemingly thrown off guard.

"But you still kissed me back," he countered after a few seconds.

"I can't believe you're trying to pin this on me!" I cried. "You kissed me _first_, so clearly that means _you_ have feelings for _me!_" Zuko froze, dumbstruck, as he opened and closed his mouth a few times, his face red.

"That's ridiculous," he managed. "It... it was a completely spur-of-the-moment thing. That didn't _mean_ anything."

I blinked, closing my mouth. I expected relief to wash over me, but I didn't expect the strange, melancholy feeling that came with it. He didn't _actually_ have feelings for me. That was a good thing, definitely a good thing... right?

"Oh," I said finally, quieter now. "Well, that's good. I thought you actually, like..." I trailed off, looking at him curiously.

"No," he replied quickly, almost too quickly. "Nope, no, of course not."

"Good," I said back. "Totally understand, you know, same here, just got... caught up in the.." I gestured with my hands, making noises to imitate the thunder booming, and Zuko nodded emphatically.

"Right," he said, leaning back against the wall, looking much more subdued. After a beat of awkward silence, Zuko cleared his throat, nodding quickly once more. "Glad we cleared that up."

"Yup," I said lamely. I gave a nervous laugh and he smiled slightly in return. "Yeah," I sighed, leaning back against my wall and looking away.

I could practically hear the crickets chirping.

Thankfully, at that moment, the door slid open a crack and Iroh stuck his head out. "Kioni, can you come in for a second please?" he asked. I straightened, looking at him in surprise.

"How come she gets to go in?" Zuko said petulantly.

"There is a healer here who will help you," Iroh explained, his eyes shifting between the two of us. He seemed to have sensed the way the tension had dissipated because he smiled slightly before gesturing me inside.

Feeling slightly nervous, I followed Iroh into the circular back room, which was much larger than it appeared from the outside. There were four chairs which had been pushed to the edges to make way for a long table in the center. Beside the table stood a tall woman with dark, braided hair that reached all the way down to her waist. She was dressed in the dull brown shades of the Earth Kingdom, but she looked up at me with startlingly blue eyes.

"Hello, Princess Kioni," the woman said, bowing slightly. "My name is Ojha."

"H-Hi," I stammered, only barely remembering to bow in return.

"We are very lucky," Iroh said from behind me. "Ojha is only in town for a few days."

"I was helping a professor from Ba Sing Se with some research," she explained. "But I have not seen him for many days; I suspect he ventured out into the desert on another of his searches for the Wan Shi Tong's ancient library. I was just about to head home when I received the notice."

"You're a waterbender?" I questioned, noting her blue eyes and tanned skin.

"Yes, I am originally from the Northern Water Tribe," she smiled. "But I have been traveling throughout the Earth Kingdom for many years. But enough about me. General Iroh tells me you have been chi-healing, yes?"

"You know what it is?" I asked, leaning forward, my veins thrumming with curiosity.

"I have traveled the world for many years now, learning different healing techniques," she answered. "Yet I have never come across this type of healing in person, only heard about it from villagers and in stories."

I bit my lip, feeling self conscious.

"It is rather dangerous, however, is it not?" she asked, walking towards me and circling me once. "By using your own chi to heal another's, you drain yourself of vitality." I nodded, somewhat sheepishly.

"Well, let's see if we can get your chi back to normal," Ojha said, tapping the table. "Go on, lie down."

I climbed onto the table and lay flat on my back, allowing Ojha to push my shirt up so my midriff was exposed. She pulled out some water from a barrel near the door and coated her hands with it, before putting her hands directly above my stomach. She put her hands down, letting the cool water touch my skin and soak deep into the core of my chi.

I nearly let out a groan as her water came in contact with what felt like a small knot above my stomach, full of twisted and broken energy. It felt like the chi was trying to flow from one pathway to another, but kept breaking off around the clot, leaving tender swirls of energy branching across my abdomen.

"Yes, I can feel a lot of twisted energy here," she murmured, kneading her hands above my stomach and trying to smooth out all th kinks in the pathways.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to squirm as shocks of pain spread up and down my spine as she worked on me. It took nearly an hour, but slowly I could feel the knot grow smaller and smaller, until finally it subsided, leaving just a tender, aching bruise above my navel.

"I think that should be all right," Ojha said, looking rather exhausted. "However, I would urge you against this type of healing in the future. At least not while you don't know how to control it."

I nodded at her, smiling sheepishly again. "Thank you very much," I pressed my hands together and sunk into a low bow to show my gratitude. I stood up from the table, still stumbling a little, but I felt much, much better than I had before.

Ojha looked at me thoughtfully before pulling a small slip of paper out of the side pocket of her robe and handing it to me. Curious, I took it from her and looked down. On it, read an address.

"If you have the time, I would go visit my friend in Ba Sing Se," she suggested. "She is much wiser and more practiced healer than I, and has been around for far longer. If anyone would be able to help you figure out your strange skills, it would be her."

"Ba Sing Se?" I questioned, confused.

"That is our destination," Iroh explained. I turned to stare at him, shocked. "I'll explain in a moment. Come, let us go fetch Zuko. Thank you very much, Master Ojha." Iroh bowed to her and she smiled mysteriously in return, before turning around and exiting through a door that didn't even seem to exist.

Iroh and I walked back into the main room, where Zuko was still leaning against the wall, his head slightly slumped. When he heard the door open, he leapt up, his arms outstretched defensively.

"What's going on?" he demanded. "Is the club meeting over?" Suddenly, Iroh's pai sho friend from the tavern walked in behind us and my eyes widened.

_Where did he come from?_ I wondered, whipping my head around to stare at him, but he didn't meet my eye. I frowned, my brows furrowing. These Order of the White Lotus people sure were strange...

"Everything is taken care of," Iroh said. "We're heading to Ba Sing Se." Zuko's eyes widened in surprise.

"Ba Sing Se?!" he cried. "Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?"

"The city is filled with refugees," the old man said. "No one will notice three more."

"We can hide in plain sight there," Iroh said. "And it's the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn't break through to the city."

The door behind us opened once more (seriously, where did these people _come_ from?!) and a young man walked in, holding three small documents.

"I have the passports for our guests," he said. "But there are two men on the street looking for them."

_Xin Fu and Master Yu. _We walked towards the door and peered outside to see the two of them holding a wanted poster and questioning random citizens.

"You seen these guys?" Xin Fu demanded. I bit my lip nervously. There was no way we could get out of here without them noticing.

"I have an idea," the old man said. He walked over to the back of the room and dragged out a cart with two gigantic pots atop it, large enough to hold two people at least. "We used to use these to smuggle valuables throughout the desert without the sandbenders stealing them, but I think it should work perfectly well for people too."

I eyed the flower pots warily. "Those look... very cramped," I said tentatively.

"It's our only option," Iroh said.

"But there are only two," Zuko protested. Iroh turned to us, and I could have sworn I saw a sparkle of amusement in his eye.

"Astute observation, Prince Zuko," he said, studying the flower pots thoughtfully. "It would appear that the two of you will have to squeeze into one."

There was a beat of silence as Zuko and I stared at Iroh incredulously.

"... you're kidding, right?" I deadpanned.

"They are much roomier than they look," the old man offered.

"I'm sure they will be fine!" Iroh told him cheerfully, walking over to one of the pots and lifting the fake flower top off of it. With a bit of effort, he hauled himself up and into the pot, landing with a large thump and a muffled "_Oof!_" After a moment, Iroh stuck his head out of the pot and looked at Zuko and I, who hadn't moved an inch.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he asked, a touch of impatience in his voice. "Unless you'd rather go out there and face them?" He gestured to the outside where Master Yu and Xin Fu were interrogating civillians.

I felt the heat rise slowly up my cheeks, thinking I would actually rather face Yu and Xin Fu than be squeezed into a flower pot with Zuko for spirits knows how long, but the look Iroh was giving me indicated that getting out of this was unfortunately not an option.

I glanced over at Zuko, who studiously avoided my eye as he heaved a sigh of annoyance, his cheeks red, and climbed into the second pot. Cursing the spirits once more, I tentatively lifted myself in after him. My feet hit the bottom of the pot gently and I slowly lowered myself into a crouch.

My face instantly flooded with red as I realized _how close_ Zuko actually was. I looked away from him, drawing my knees up to my chest and leaning against the wall, but our legs were still pressed together until the knee.

I looked up as the old man's face appeared at the top of our pot. "Safe travels!" he said cheerfully, before placing the fake top on, immersing us in darkness. I could no longer see Zuko, but I could still feel the heat emanating from him where our legs were touching.

_Spirits, he's warm. Must be a firebender thing._

There was a rough jolt and then our cart started moving. I heard the door open as we were pulled out, and then quick, heavy footsteps and the slam of a door.

"Hey you!" I heard Xin Fu's voice. "Where are these fugitives? We got a tip that they're in your shop!" His voice got quieter and quieter as we trundled away, bumping over the rough roads that ran through the town.

* * *

I squirmed in the sweltering darkness of the flowerpot, trying to get some feeling back into my legs, which had gone completely and totally numb. I didn't know how long we had been traveling, but judging by the way the cart dragged sluggishly along, I assumed we were already in the desert.

I winced as sparks of pain shot through my spine when I moved a fraction, my muscles sore and cramped and my bones aching from curling in this position for so long. My eyes had gotten somewhat adjusted to the darkness, so I could see Zuko's hunched form across me, but I couldn't tell if he was sleeping or not.

_How anyone could sleep in this position escapes me,_ I grumbled in my mind, every inch of my body screaming in discomfort. I glanced over again, longing to spread my legs out. Suddenly, an idea came to me. It would definitely be uncomfortable in a different way, but at this point, I'd take emotional discomfort over the physical.

"Zuko," I whispered. A soft grunt of acknowledgement came from the firebender. "Can I, um..." A flush crept up my cheeks again as I stumbled over the words. "Can I lie against you?"

"What!?" Zuko shot up, his voice much louder, and banged his head on the fake top in the process.

"Shhh," I hissed as he grumbled in pain and rubbed the top of his head. "Don't get any ideas, I'm just _really_ cramped and I can't feel my legs past my knees right now and if we both sit on the same side, I figured we could both stretch out a bit."

There were a few moments of silence while Zuko contemplated before a rush of air escaped his lips. "Fine," he sighed. Nearly crying with relief, I rose into a crouch, my calves shaking with lack of use.

As one might imagine, moving around in a flowerpot the size of a pai sho table is no easy task. Zuko stretched out his legs as I tried to maneuver into a sitting position, but inevitably, my foot caught against his leg as we were both moving. I slipped, tumbling down with a yelp, and landed hard against Zuko's chest.

"Ouch!" he cried as the back of my head smacked against the top of his chin. "Watch it!"

"Sorry!" I said as I struggled into a sitting position. I leaned back against Zuko's chest and stretched my legs out in front of me, my blush getting deeper as I realized I was practically sitting in his lap. The heat from emanating from his body was incredible, but it was warm and alluring, and I was leaning further towards him unconsciously before I came to my senses and stiffened.

"Let's not tell Uncle about this," Zuko muttered, his voice so close to my ear that it sent shivers running down my spine. "In fact, let's never tell _anyone_ about this."

"Agreed," I replied. Cautiously, I leaned back until the back of my neck was resting on his shoulder. With a quiet sigh, he lifted his arms from where they had been pinned stiffly against his sides and brought them up to rest loosely around my waist. My face was so hot I was practically a firebender, but a content thrumming feeling spread through my chest as I relaxed against Zuko.

Involuntarily, I felt my eyelids drift shut before they snapped open again. At the same time, I suppressed a yawn, my body quivering slightly with the effort. It had been nearly thirty six hours since I'd slept, albiet restlessly, and the pleasant warmth engulfing Zuko's body was doing nothing to dispel the drowsiness.

_I'll just rest my eyes for a few minutes_, I thought sleepily as I drifted off.

* * *

"No," I groaned as rays of light pierced my wonderful bubble of slumber, waking me up. I squirmed away from the light, burying my face in something soft and warm as I tried to hold on to the little wisps of sleep that slipped from my fingers.

"As cozy as the two of you look, I'm afraid we have arrived," a highly amused voice came from above.

I slowly blinked my eyes open and gazed upwards into Iroh's smirking face, which peered through a ring of light at the top of the flowerpot. With a jolt, I realized that I was still in the flowerpot, and the soft, warm surface I'd been snuggling into had been the chest of the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.

I blushed instantly, trying to stand up, but Zuko's arms had tightened around my waist and were holding me fast. I glanced behind me to see him very much asleep, his eyes shut and his mouth slightly open as he breathed softly.

"Zuko!" I thumped his chest once with my fist and he made a sleepy noise, turning his head to the side. "Zuko, wake up!"

His amber eyes flew open, and then squeezed shut again as he groaned at the sudden influx of light. He blinked a few times, dispelling the clouds of sleep, and then his eyes focused on me, wide and slightly bewildered.

"We're here," I informed him, my cheeks still red. "Could you please let go of me now?" I looked down at his arms pointedly and he flushed pink, retracting his arms immediately.

I stood and pulled myself out of the flowerpot, landing lightly on the ground next to Iroh. I stretched this way and that, groaning with relief as I worked feeling back into my tense muscles. As I stretched, I looked around at our surroundings - we seemed to have made it out of the desert, as we were surrounded by high cliffs and trees, and I could hear the faint rushing of a waterfall in the distance.

I heard another thump and looked over to see Zuko straightening up, looking distinctively sleep ruffled in a way that was so endearing I just had to smile. I caught myself as the smile spread across my face. _Endearing?_

"Full Moon Bay is only a few miles from here," Iroh said, pulling a map out of his rucksack and pointing to a large bay. I peered over his shoulder at the map, frowning when I didn't see any passage.

"It looks like the only strip of land is there," I said, befuddled, pointing to a narrow strip of land that crossed the bay.

"That is the Serpent's Pass," Iroh said, his voice taking on a solemn tone. "It is highly dangerous, and we would only cross through there if, by some unhappy chance, we were unable to catch a ferry across the bay."

"There's no port at Full Moon Bay," Zuko said, frowning as he studied the map. "There's no way. We would have used it to gain access to Ba Sing Se."

Iroh turned towards Zuko, his face somewhat sheepish. "The port is hidden from the Fire Nation," he explained. Zuko's eyes widened in shock.

"You _knew_ about a secret passage to Ba Sing Se, and you didn't _tell anyone_?" he cried in horror at Iroh's apparent betrayal. Iroh held his hands up in defense.

"I didn't know about it until I joined the Order of the White Lotus!" he said. "And it is my duty to keep that secret. The Order transcends the four nations, and the war between them."

Zuko glared at his uncle for a few seconds, and I was sure he was going to send a hawk off to the Fire Nation or attempt to capture the port himself, but he simply huffed and crossed his arms.

"Fine," he scowled, looking away. "Let's go." I watched him, bemused, as the tiniest of smiles appeared on Iroh's face.

"Here are your passports," he said, handing us each a small slip of paper. "You will need them to get onto the ferry and again once we enter the city." I glanced down at mine, which bore a rough resemblance of my face along with some other official looking print.

"Who is Aria?" I asked, looking down at the name on my passport.

"While we are in Ba Sing Se, you will go by that name," Iroh said. "There will be many refugees from all parts of the world, and we can't run the risk of any of us being recognized. Zuko will be known as Lee, and I am Mushi."

"Mushy?" I snickered. Iroh turned to me with a haughty expression, but I quickly schooled my face into one of polite approval.

"At least you didn't make me Junior," Zuko muttered, stowing his passport in the front pocket of his tunic.

* * *

As it turned out, Full Moon bay was located inside a partially hollowed mountain, indistinguishable except for a small Earth Kingdom insignia carved above a medium sized boulder. I watched in awe as Iroh pressed down on the boulder, causing it to sink slightly into the rock.

The sound of moving rock caused me to look up and see two earthbenders clad in uniform sliding down the mountain towards us. They landed with grace and walked towards us, looking serious.

"State your name and purpose," one of them said.

"I am Mushi, and this is my nephew, Lee, and my niece, Aria," Iroh said, holding out his passport. Zuko and I quickly did the same, and the second security guard snatched the documents out of our hands and inspected them closely. "We are seeking refuge in Ba Sing Se. Our home was captured and turned into a Fire Nation colony, forcing us to flee to escape utter poverty."

I nodded emphatically along to Iroh's story, arranging my face in what I hoped was tired, weary and sorrowed expression. It wasn't terribly difficult to emulate.

"The documents all look to be in order, sir," the second guard said, handing our passports back to Iroh.

"Very well," the first said. He stood in front of the mountain wall, placed one hand on the Earth Kingdom insignia, and then pushed first inwards and then down. A large chunk of wall slid down, revealing the port behind it.

I looked around with wide eyes as we walked through the port. Dozens of refugees, dressed in drab and often paltry clothing, milled about the docks, some with parents with multiple young children, some elderly leaning against their canes, and some who looked as old as I was, hanging in the corner with dark, brooding expressions.

"I can't believe how many people's lives have been uprooted by the Fire Nation," I murmured, mostly to myself, as we walked towards the ticketing counter. It sent a pang of melancholy through my heart to know that I was one of those people. And, in a way, so were Zuko and Iroh.

In reality, we were no different than the refugees we were pretending to be.

We got into line for the ferry, and a flash of yellow and orange caught my eye. I glanced up and my heart thumped erratically in my chest as I saw the back of a bald head with a blue arrow walking away, dressed in orange and yellow robes.

"Aang!" I called out before I could stop myself, hope filling my chest. Zuko's head jerked up in the direction I called, and I froze. The person I had called to turned around, looking slightly confused, and my heart dropped as I realized that it wasn't Aang - this person had much older, sharper features. It was just someone dressed like Aang.

"Why would someone masquerade as the Avatar?" Zuko asked, sounding angry. I realized that he must have gotten his hopes of capturing Aang up for a split second only to have them dashed again.

"To gain passage into the city, I suppose," Iroh replied. I craned my neck towards where the fake-Aang was heading, only to see an entire gaggle of people in various shapes and sizes, all dressed in airbender robes, with shaved heads and painted-on tattoos. A few of them even had makeshift gliders.

We reached the front of the line, and I looked up, into the face of an intimidating woman, with dark beady eyes, greasy black hair and a scowl that looked like it was permanently stuck on her face.

"Three tickets for the ferry to Ba Sing Se, please," Iroh said in a smooth voice.

"Passports?" she asked without looking up. Iroh slid the three passports onto the table. She picked them up between two yellowing fingernails and examined them closely through a magnifying glass.

"Mister Mushi, Mister Lee, and Miss Aria?" she asked, her voice nasally and grating. We nodded quietly. She gave us one last suspicious look before stamping the three passports viciously and shoving them back in Iroh's face.

I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. Somehow, despite all the odds that seem to be thrown our way, we had made it.

We were heading to Ba Sing Se.


	24. The Serpent's Pass

"All aboard the Xinju ferry!"

"That's us!" Iroh leapt off of the cement block he was sitting on, hurrying towards the ferry. "Don't leave without us, sir, please wait!" I rolled my eyes as I grabbed my bag and followed him, walking quickly to keep up.

"Calm down, they're not going to leave without us, Ir-Mushi," I finished quickly, catching the wide eyed warning look both Iroh and Zuko threw my way.

The ship's foghorn sounded loudly as we made our way up the gangplank and onto the small, wooden vessel. "Tickets?" the guard at the entrance to the deck asked, looking incredibly bored. Iroh handed him our tickets, and he gave them a cursory glance before waving us through.

"I think," Iroh murmured quietly in my ear once we were aboard. "To avoid any further, er... slipups, you ought to just call me Uncle. Aria and Lee are Mushi's niece and nephew, after all."

"We look nothing alike," Zuko protested. "There's no way we could pass for siblings." Iroh looked stumped for a moment before a thoughtful expression crossed his face.

"We could pass as cousins," I suggested.

"I know!" Iroh's face lit up. "You could most certainly pass as cousins." I narrowed my eyes in an expression of disbelief. Zuko turned away, but before he did, I saw a hint of a smirk on his face, and for some reason, it made me smile.

Suddenly, my stomach grumbled like an angry tigerdillo, the sound low, long, and very loud. I flushed red and clutched my stomach as both Iroh and Zuko, as well as several other passengers on the ship, turned towards me, their eyebrows raised.

"I don't suppose there's food anywhere?" I mumbled. The last thing I'd eaten had been that crushed mango drink at the Misty Palms Oasis, and as delicious as that had been, it certainly wasn't a substantial meal.

"Let's go find a galley," Zuko said, walking towards the stairs. I followed him, leaving Iroh standing on deck, looking out at the bay. The interior of the ship was cramped, with barely enough space for two people to walk down the corridors side by side. We poked our heads into several rooms, finally finding one with a line of people queued up holding bowls.

"Finally," I nearly groaned, stepping into line quickly and grabbing a bowl. "I could eat an ostrich horse." Zuko frowned suddenly, his face looking sad. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he shook his head quickly, looking down at his bowl.

"Tell me," I urged quietly. Zuko let out a small sigh.

"It's just, what you said about the ostrich horse..." he trailed off, looking slightly embarrassed I stared at him for a few seconds, confused, before realization dawned.

"Is this about Izumi?" I asked, somewhat disbelievingly. "Do you miss her?"

"No!" he countered quickly. "I just... wonder if she's okay." I bit my lip to stop the grin from spreading across my face.

"That is so _sweet_," I teased. "You care about your stolen ostrich horse."

"She's not - ugh!"

"I'm sure she's fine," I reassured him. "Uncle's pai sho friend is looking after her." Zuko muttered something under his breath that certainly didn't exude faith, but we had reached the front of the line, and my stomach was a more compelling force than his voice.

I held my bowl out eagerly, only to recoil in horror as the cook slopped a spoonful of greyish muck with small chunks of meat into it, the substance landing with an unappealing _plop!_

"What is _this_?" Zuko asked, his voice laden with disgust.

"Meat Stew Surprise," the cook replied in a monotone voice.

"Is there... anything else?" I asked, somewhat meekly, my stomach churning at the scent of the food - if you could even call it that.

"No," the cook said brusquely. "Move along, you're holding up the line." Zuko opened his mouth to argue, his ears already practically steaming, but I grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

"Don't cause a scene," I hissed as we trudged back up the stairs onto the deck. "We're supposed to be blending in." Zuko let out a noncommittal grunt and yanked his arm out of my grasp.

I hung back, slightly stung, as he stomped towards Iroh, who was still leaning against the railing. After a beat, I rolled my eyes and walked around to Zuko's other side, standing a slight distance away from him as he stared moodily out into the waters. I turned my gaze towards the bay, watching the rippling waves swell and crest as the boat cut through, heading for the great walled city.

"Who would have thought, after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace?" Iroh said in a low voice. I turned to him, concerned, but he turned back to me with a huge grin on his face. "As a tourist!" Whipping a large, floppy hat out of somewhere, he struck a pose with the hat on his head.

I couldn't help but smile. "Where did you even get that?" I giggled, but he simply winked mischievously at me.

"Look around!" Zuko said angrily. "We're not tourists, we're refugees." He reached down for his bowl and took a sip of the stew, immediately spitting it out in disgust.

"Is it really that bad?" I asked, half despairingly. I was _so _hungry. I lifted the bowl to my lips, holding my breath against the smell, and took a tiny sip. Instantly, all my taste buds protested violently as the disgusting sludge spread across them. Spitting it out into the bowl as well, I gagged at the taste of rotten fish.

"I'm sick of eating rotten food!" Zuko raged. "And sleeping in the dirt. I'm tired of living like this!" I was about to open my mouth, whether to offer words of comfort or a snarky comeback, I hadn't quite decided, but another low, smooth voice cut me off.

"Aren't we all?"

I turned my head and my eyes widened considerably at what I saw. A tall, tan boy dressed in red and blue armor leaned against one of the wooden beams, his dark shaggy hair covering his eyes, and a piece of wheat held between his perfectly white teeth, which caught the light as his mouth curved in a half smirk.

"My name's Jet," he said, stepping towards us. I heard my bowl drop with a splash into the ocean, but I didn't look down. "And these are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot." He gestured behind him to two other figures dressed in similar attire, one with wide brown eyes and streaks of red face paint, and the other with a wide brimmed straw hat.

"Hey," the one with the red face paint said in a slightly high voice. Zuko turned away, apparently slightly embarrassed by his outburst, yet curious of the newcomers.

"Hello," he replied.

"Hi," I said, my voice slightly breathless. Jet turned to look at me, his smile and his catlike olive green eyes widening simultaneously.

"Here's the deal," he said, fully walking towards us now. "I hear the captain's eating like a king while us refugees have to feed off his scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"What sort of king is he eating like?" Iroh inquired.

"The fat, happy kind," Jet replied, a touch of bitterness in his voice. My stomach growled impatiently once more, and I sympathized with Iroh, who drooled slightly at the prospect.

"You two want to help us... liberate some food?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.

I glanced away from Jet for a moment, a shadow of doubt entering my mind. Something didn't feel right about this situation, but, as my stomach cramped again with hunger, I found myself caring less about morals and more about survival. It _wasn't_ fair that the captain enjoyed luxury while the rest of the people had to suffer with this slop. Hadn't our- _their_ lives been hard enough lately?

I looked up to the see Zuko hurl his stew into the ocean, bowl and all, and turn around to face Jet, standing upright. "I'm in," he said, determinedly. Jet smiled again, one corner of his mouth lifting upwards.

"And what about the lady?" he asked, turning that charming smile my way. Oh, like I was going to say no _now._

"Count me in too," I replied, also smiling and trying desperately not to blush. I saw Zuko glance at me out of the corner of my eye, his brow furrowed, and I guessed that I wasn't doing that great of a job.

"Great," Jet grinned. "I'll meet you guys here in about an hour, once the sun goes down. Tonight, we feast!" Jet pumped a hand in the air and the other two Freedom Fighters whooped. I bit my lip as he turned and walked away, and then my mouth opened the tiniest bit as he glanced over his shoulder while leaving and winked at me.

Zuko turned towards me, his furrowed brow now developed into a full scale frown.

"What happened to you?" he asked suspiciously.

"What?" I asked, my voice breaking slightly. I cleared my throat and Zuko's eyes narrowed.

"Your face is red," he accused.

"What!? No it's not!" I squeaked, turning away. I heard Iroh chuckle softly behind me and turned around, tugging nervously at the collar of my shirt. "Wow, it sure is hot on this ship."

"It's nearly dusk," Zuko deadpanned. "It's not hot at all."

"Well, I'm sweltering!" I said in a too-bright voice. "I'm gonna go below deck to, um... cool off." I whirled around and walked swiftly towards the stairs, my eyes squeezed shut with embarrassment.

Behind me, Zuko's scowl deepened.

* * *

We met Jet at the foot of the stairs to the upper deck as soon as the sun had gone down. Iroh had wished us good luck, but something about the set of his mouth told me that he didn't approve entirely of this plan. I was still having reservations, but sometimes hunger can really compromise your morals.

"All right, here's the plan," Jet whispered, his wheatgrass strand barely visible in the dim lighting, but still moving up and down as he spoke. "There's a break in the guards' circle that will happen in about three minutes. When the next guard passes, we'll slip into the kitchen. Smellerbee will keep watch while the three of us round up as much food as we can before she gives the signal that the guard is coming back. From there, Longshot will be waiting with a getaway on the right side of the deck."

I nodded, somewhat impressed with his ability to come up with such a coherent plan in such a short amount of time. "About how long do you think we'll have?" I asked.

"I'd say three to four minutes, max," he answered. "So we'll have to work fast. I hope you'll be able to handle it." His voice took on a different tone in the last sentence, a low and slightly teasing.

"I don't think that'll be a problem," I said, grinning despite myself.

"I never did get your guys' names," Jet said, turning towards both of us now.

"Z-Lee," Zuko started, correcting himself quickly with wide eyes. Thankfully, Jet seemed to have thought he'd said "It's Lee," and nodded before turning to me.

"Aria," I answered, and his smile widened.

"Pleasure to meet'cha," he winked, before straightening. "Now let's liberate some food."

We hunkered down for a few minutes behind the stairwell, hidden from view, before the guard passed with his lantern held aloft. As soon as he disappeared out of sight, the four of us darted out and ran around the side of the deck to the kitchen. Zuko peeked around the corner of the wall before gesturing us forward.

Zuko pulled out one of his broadswords and thrust it between the lock and the door. With a quick twist and a grunt of effort on his part, the lock popped off and the door swung open.

Quietly, Jet, Zuko, and I slipped into the kitchen while Smellerbee crouched at the entrance on high alert. My eyes slid shut momentarily as the overwhelming scent of freshly made food washed over me. I nearly fainted right then and there, but my rumbling stomach pressured me to hold on just a few more minutes.

Jet used his hook swords to slice several whole, roasted pigs off their hangings and into a burlap sack while Zuko stacked bowls of noodles and then tied time together in a neat bow. I glanced around, my eyes landing on a display of steaming savory pies. My glands sallivating, I pulled my butterfly swords out of their holsters and used them to stack the pies into a round, wooden carrying bowl. I dropped the bowl into my sack and tied the top off. As I slung the pack over my shoulder, I caught Jet's eye and he nodded at me, smiling.

"Guard's coming!" Smellerbee's soft voice came from outside.

We quickly dashed out of the kitchen and into the dark night, running to the edge of the balcony. I looked down below and saw Longshot, an arrow already notched, pull back and release, sending a rope flying through the air. The arrow stuck in the wooden railing and we sent the bags down first, before Jet swung himself over the edge and slid down on his hook swords.

My eyes widened and I exchanged a look with Zuko, who didn't look any less worried. That kind of swinging might work great for Jet, but my swords certainly didn't have hooks on them.

"Hurry up!" Smellerbee hissed behind us. A determined look came onto Zuko's face and he leapt over the edge, holding his swords above his head and sliding shakily down the wire, his knuckles white from gripping the handles so tight.

I gulped and jumped over the railing, standing on the edge of the roof. It was such a long way down. Taking a deep breath, I held the rope between my swords and pushed off, praying to every spirit I knew that I wouldn't end up flat as a pancake on the deck.

Surprisingly, my swords held me upright, although my arms were aching by the time I dropped off at the bottom of the wire. Jet caught my arm as I stumbled slightly upon landing, a concerned expression on his face that made a faint blush rise onto mine again.

"Come on, let's go get these people some food," he smiled, tugging me forward. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out, so I just let myself be tugged along like a polar dog puppy, my pack of food dangling loosely from my other hand. Smellerbee and Longshot ran after us, with Zuko bringing up the rear, the scowl etched on his face again.

We saw Iroh first, his face lighting up with more enthusiasm than I'd ever seen as he caught sight of our food-laden bags. He ran towards us, nearly stumbling over someone's food in his eagerness.

"Why don't you guys go ahead and start eating?" Jet said, looking at Iroh with something like amusement. "I'll hand the food out to the others and join you in a bit."

"Are you sure?" I asked, hesitant but Zuko was already taking out a few bowls of noodles and handing them to Iroh, who accepted them with eager arms.

"Positive," he grinned, waving us off, and I smiled my gratitude, nearly crying with relief at the smell of the delicious noodles. Iroh had already set up an eating area for us, so I plopped down next to Zuko and Longshot, eagerly grabbing at a bowl of noodles.

I inhaled that first bowl more than I actually ate, scarfing down the noodles so fast that the broth nearly burnt my tongue, but I was simply too ravenous to care. For a few minutes, there was nothing but the sound of food being shoveled into mouths as fast as we possibly could.

Finally, I set my bowl down and glanced over at Jet, who was still handing out food to the other refugees. I watched as they looked at us with expressions of envy and resentment, only to see those expressions melt into shock and gratitude as Jet presented them with steaming bowls of food for themselves.

"So, Smellerbee," Iroh voice interrupted my staring, and I turned back to the group with slight reluctance, reaching forward to take a sip from the cup of tea Iroh had prepared. "That's an unusual name for a young man."

I nearly choked on my tea, cringing internally as Smellerbee's eyes widened with anger. "Maybe it's because I'm not a man," she shot back, glaring. "I'm a girl!"

"Oh! Now I see!" Iroh called after her as she stood up and stormed away. I slapped a palm to my forehead, shaking my head at the old man. "It's a beautiful name for a lovely girl!"

Longshot stood up without saying a word and followed the angry Freedom Fighter, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her. I could see her talking in a low murmur, but Longshot didn't seem to be saying anything, communicating through meaningful looks instead.

"Smooth move, _Uncle,_" I whispered to him, and he blushed slightly, looking embarrassed.

A sound next to me caught my attention and I started slightly as I saw Jet plop down beside me, sitting much closer than the rest of us had been sitting before. Now it was my turn to blush slightly, the pink creeping up my neck, despite my efforts to will it down.

"From what I hear, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se," he said longingly, his eyes filled with a sort of desperate fire that made my neck prickle slightly. I frowned, ignoring it. "I can't wait to set my eyes on that wall."

"It is a magnificent sight," Iroh agreed.

"So you've been there before?" Jet asked, turning to him curiously. Iroh looked down at his teacup, a melancholy look taking over his features.

"Once," he said sadly. "When I was a different man." My heart clenched with sympathy as I remembered Iroh's failed seige of Ba Sing Se, which had ended after the death of his son.

"I've done some things in my past I'm not proud of," Jet said in a low voice. There! That prickling feeling was back again. "But that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se - for a new beginning. A second chance."

"That's very noble of you," Iroh said. "I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances." He turned towards Zuko, and the two exchanged a meaningful look.

With a jolt, I realized that he was talking about the prince. Suddenly, something became very, very clear to me, something that I couldn't believe I had missed before - Iroh didn't see Ba Sing Se as simply a hiding place, a temporary refuge from the Fire Nation. He saw it as a chance to start over, a place where he and Zuko could have a new home, to live safely in peace.

_And just where do you fit in with all of this?_

What would I do once we reached Ba Sing Se? I'd be safe, certainly, and I could easily gain passage back to Omashu and go home. Although Omashu was a separate city-state from the general Earth Kingdom with Ba Sing Se as it's capital, my grandfather and the Earth King were still in correspondence. I was sure I could speak to him and travel back without difficulty.

But did I want to go back? I thought about going back to my life in Omashu - endless days wandering the palace and the city aimlessly, and I winced to myself. I loved traveling the world. Whether it be with Aang or with Zuko and Iroh, I had learned more about the world, the people in it, and about myself in these past few months that I had learned in nearly sixteen years of living in Omashu.

"Aria?" Jet's voice broke me out of my thoughts, and I blinked once or twice quickly to see him staring at me with concern.

"Sorry, I spaced out for a second," I laughed nervously. "What were you saying?"

"I was just wondering if you'd like to go for a quick walk with me," Jet said, his eyes twinkling darkly in the lantern-lit surroundings.

Suddenly, the blush was back full force and I blinked once before answering, "Oh, um... sure."

I stood and gave Iroh a nervous look over my shoulder, but he simply grinned and gave me a thumbs up that was probably supposed to be encouraging, but was _way_ too obvious. Apparently Zuko seemed to think so too, because he jabbed his uncle sharply with an elbow and glared at him.

Rolling my eyes and trying not to laugh at the wounded look on Iroh's face, I followed Jet away from the crowds of happy, eating refugees. I smiled as we passed laughing families, who finally had something to look forward to - a full meal, a good night's rest and the prospect of a fresh start. It sounded pretty good to me.

"So, where are you guys from?" Jet asked me suddenly, and I jumped slightly, caught off guard.

"Oh, um..." I tried desperately to remember what Iroh had told the security guard. "We're from the colonies."

"You're from the Fire Nation?!" Jet stopped and whirled around to stare at me, his eyes suddenly flashing angrily.

"No!" I said quickly. "Our town was captured by the Fire Nation and we had to flee."

"Oh," Jet said, his tense posture relaxing. I furrowed my brows as we continued walking, slightly confused and a little wary of his sudden outburst. "Is that how..." Jet began again, his voice full of curiosity, but then shook his head once and stopped himself. "Never mind."

"What?" I asked before I could stop myself, forgetting that I should've have been keeping any personal information about us to a complete minimum.

"Is that how your brother got that scar?" Jet asked in a hushed voice. He turned to face me, the curiosity evident on his face even in the dim lighting. I must have tensed up visibly, because Jet shook his head again and turned away from me. "Never mind, it's none of my business."

"He's not my brother," I said in a rush, mentally smacking myself on the forehead._ Really, Kioni? Really? Because **that** was the part of his statement that needed correcting. _

Jet turned to look at me again, one eyebrow raised, before a slightly suspicious look crossed over his face.

"We're cousins," I amended quickly, covering my tracks.

"That makes more sense," he said, nodding. "You don't look that much alike, anyway." He shot me a quick grin and I smiled back weakly. "That's why he's so angry all the time? Because a firebender burned him?" I winced, feeling both uncomfortable and slightly miffed (Is that why he wanted to walk with me? To talk about Zuko? Really?).

"Lee is... complicated," I said slowly, choosing my words carefully. "He's had a tough life, and had to leave his home and his family behind. As you probably know, the life of a refugee isn't exactly... easy."

"I hear you," Jet sighed. "What about your family? Didn't you have to leave them behind too?"

My fists clenched of their own accord, and I felt the old pain being dredged up again. "My parents died a while ago," I said quietly, looking at the floor. "They were missionaries, so they traveled a lot, delivering supplies and aid to nearby colonies. And then one day... they just never came back. I was ten."

I blinked quickly, trying to dispel the pricking behind my eyelids. For months after my parents' disappearance, I'd waited constantly for any news of them, refusing to believe they were actually gone. When the war report came in, declaring the village they'd been stationed in had been burned entirely to the ground, I'd run away.

Two days later, Bumi found me huddled in the genomite caverns below the city, trying to break my way through the wall. He coaxed me back to the palace, and I promised to stay there on the condition that he start training me in earthbending the next day. I wanted to be able to protect myself, and I wanted to make my parents proud and end the war that took them from me.

"I know how you feel," Jet broke through my thoughts and I started when his hand slipped into mine. I was taken aback by the coolness of his skin, but I squeezed back gently. "When I was eight, the Fire Nation raided my village and burned it to the ground. I watched as they killed my parents, barely escaping with my own life." A dark look came across the boy's face as he spoke.

"I'm so sorry," I murmured.

"From that day, I vowed I would do whatever it took to bring the Fire Nation down," he said in a low voice. His eyes narrowed, glaring into the distance at some unseen threat. "That's why I started the Freedom Fighters. It's made up of people like you and me, who have lost so much at the hands of those ruthless monsters."

His grip on my hand tightened slightly and I glanced up at his drawn face, my sympathy fading slowly to apprehension. Something about the way he talked made me wary... or maybe it was the fact that he assumed I was just like him.

"The problem is, sometimes I get carried away," Jet continued, a hint of regret coloring his voice. "I start thinking like them... thinking that a victory at any cost is a victory nonetheless. That any and all action should be taken to achieve your goal, no matter the cost."

I tensed slightly. He sounded like Zhao. "When you said you'd done things in your past you weren't proud of...?" I trailed off questioningly.

"Yeah," Jet sighed heavily. "I didn't realize at the time how wrong I was. But I'm hoping to make a new start in Ba Sing Se and really help these people the good way, the honest way."

_Stealing food from others probably isn't the best way to do things if you're aiming for honesty,_ I thought, but kept quiet.

"Some day, though," Jet said, the menacing tone creeping back into his voice. "Some day, I'm going to face the Fire Nation again. And I'm going to take them down, no mercy. I won't hurt innocent people anymore, but I can't make those promises for those firebender scum."

An uneasy feeling crept into my chest as I thought of Iroh and Zuko, and the intense rage and hatred that bubbled directly below Jet's skin. "But not _all_ people from the Fire Nation are completely evil," I protested weakly.

"How can you say that?!" Jet exclaimed. "The Fire Nation killed your parents! They uprooted you from your home, they're the direct cause for all of your problems and misery. Fire burns, and it doesn't care who or what it destroys in the process."

I looked down again, unable to come up with an answer.

"Hey," Jet tugged on my hand again, and I looked up. His face was softer now, a gentler look in his eyes. "You and me, we're more alike than you think," he said quietly.

_No, _I thought. _We're far more different than you could possibly imagine._

Jet squeezed my hand gently and started to lean forward, his eyes slipping shut. My own eyes widened in response, my mind blanking on what to do as his face got closer and closer to mine...

_CRASH!_

We jumped apart as if electrocuted and our heads whirled to the source of the noise. Zuko stood there, scrambling to pick up the pot that had been knocked off the wall. Once setting it on the wall, he turned to face us, his face a bright shade of red.

"Uncle sent me to fetch you," he said dumbly. I couldn't speak, unsure if I was relieved or annoyed by his interruption.

Jet let out a low chuckle, seemingly more amused than annoyed, and dropped my hand. "The overprotective type, eh?" he smirked at Zuko, who merely clenched his fists and didn't say anything. Jet's question irked me more than it should have, but before I could dwell on it, the Freedom Fighter swooped in and kissed me swiftly on the cheek.

"I'll see you around, Aria," he called cheerfully, sticking his hands in his pockets before ambling off around the corner.

Zuko and I stared at each other for a minute before he spun around quickly and stalked off in the direction he had come. Startled, I walked after him, but he was moving so fast I had to nearly run to keep up.

"Hey, wait!" I called, catching up to him and grabbing his arm. He jerked it away angrily, not looking at me. "Whoa," I stepped back, stunned and confused. "What's with you?" I asked defensively.

Zuko whirled around, and I was surprised by the angry light in his eyes and the displeased set of his mouth. "You shouldn't hang around him," he hissed in a low whisper.

"What?" I asked, stepping back. An irritated feeling crept over me and I crossed my arms. "And why not?" Zuko stared at me incredulously.

"You can't just go around spilling personal information to every boy we meet!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "We're supposed to be hiding, laying low. And I don't trust him; there's something shifty about the way he acts."

"Excuse me?!" I cried. "We were just _talking_, I didn't tell him any personal information about you or Uncle! And what do you mean 'to every boy we meet'?!"

"Please," Zuko scoffed. "It's obvious that you like him." My face flushed red instantly.

"I do _not_," I said vehemently and Zuko let out a thinly disguised snort. "And even if I did, it would be _none_ of your business."

"It's my business when you're putting me and Uncle in danger by saying things without thinking because you're too busy making moony eyes at some guy," Zuko countered hotly.

"I can't believe you!" I cried indignantly. "I would _never_ put you or Uncle in danger and I do not make moony eyes at anyone! I don't know what you think gives you the right to say these things just because you're... jealous or something!"

As soon as I blurted the words out, my eyes widened with the possibility.

"I-I am not jealous!" Zuko sputtered, stomping his foot angrily. "Why would I be jealous of _him_?" My eyes flashed and I tried to ignore the spark of hurt that shot through me at his callous tone.

"Fine," I said. "Then I guess it doesn't matter to you what happens between us."

"It doesn't matter to _me_," Zuko snarled. "But you still can't talk to him anymore."

"That won't be a problem," I shot back, my eyes glittering dangerously. "There are plenty of other things I can do with my mouth besides _talk._"

Taking a vindictive satisfaction in the way Zuko's jaw dropped and his face paled, I flounced past him and back onto the upper deck with my head held high.

"Oh, there you are!" Iroh exclaimed, his arms full of blankets, as I stormed towards him. His brow furrowed as he saw my furious expression. "Did something happen? How was your walk?"

"Stupendous," I growled, yanking a blanket off the top of the pile. Without another word, I plopped down on my cot, tugged the blanket over my body, and turned resolutely away from him.

I didn't move as I heard Zuko walk up, pretending to be asleep even though my tense body was very obviously awake. Iroh was standing on the cot furthest from me, and I heard Zuko pause before he let out a quiet sigh and spread his blanket out on the cot next to mine.

That tiny little sigh said so much, filled with exhaustion and weariness, that my anger melted away and left me feeling both guilty and similarly exhausted. Why did Zuko and I always fight so much? Granted, he usually started it, but I always countered and then it just snowballed, escalating until one of us said something too hurtful or went too far.

Like with what I had said tonight. I winced, replaying the words in my head, and realizing how unnecessary, not to mention embarrassing, they were. I had said them with a specific intent, to cut him as deeply as possible, and my stomach twisted with guilt when I remembered his shocked and hurt expression. I was sure the meaning of my words had not been lost on him.

_I'd choose him over you any day._

I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut again, feeling guilty not only because of the cruelty of the words, but also because they were completely, one hundred percent false.

* * *

_I was running, my heart pounding in time with my bare feet against the mossy floor of the forest, my nerves frayed with fear and anticipation. A dense fog hung over the air and I could feel sweat beading at the nape of my neck. _

_"Kioni! Kioni!" _

_A terrified voice rung throughout the area, and I spun around in desperate search of its source. The air around me seemed to become hotter and I blinked quickly, my eyes tearing up with the sudden onset of smoke around me. _

_Choking slightly, I ran blindly, pushing through a clump of trees and then stopped, skidding backwards in fear two steps before I fell off the edge of the cliff protruding out of the earth directly in front of me. _

_A maniacal laugh sounded from across the ravine, and I glanced upwards, my heart stuttering twice and then stopping as I took in the horrific sight in front of me. Jet cackled at me, a hundred yards away across the rocky canyon, his face alight with an evil glee as a huge fire crackled behind him. _

_Zuko stood in the center of the fire, gagged and tied to wooden posts as he struggled. I met his eyes across the bluff, nearly crying when I saw the pain and fear reflected in them. _

_BEND! I wanted to scream at him as I stood there helplessly, my hands dangling at my sides. But even before I tried thrusting my arms out to create a bridge across, I knew my bending would not work. _

_"This is for the good of the world, Kioni," Jet said solemnly, although his mouth was curved into a grim smile. "Fire hurts those you care about." _

_"NO!" I shouted, my voice sounding weak compared to Jet's. "You're hurting the ones I care about!" The olive green eyes narrowed. _

_"Fire burns," he boomed, sounding larger than life. "Therefore, it must be dealt with before it can spread." _

_"You're crazy!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face as Zuko struggled harder, the flames licking at his skin. "Let him go!" _

_"You choose to side with fire?" Jet snarled. "After everything it's done to you? Fine." I watched in horror as he reached down and scooped up a handful of fire, the flames sizzling in his palm, shifting from red to white to an awfully familiar blue. _

_"You play with fire, Kioni," Jet hissed, his eyes narrowing to slits. "And you _**_will_**_ get burned." _

_With that, he hurled the ball of flames at me as I stood rooted to the ground, motionless and unable to escape._

* * *

I jerked upwards with a gasp, my eyes wide and my heart still pounding. A minuscule groan of relief escaped me as I took in the darkened surroundings of the refugee ship. Slumping forwards, my eyes slid shut and I tried to control my breathing. Despite the chill in the air and the cold sweat on my forehead, I could still feel the stifling heat of the burning forest in my dream.

"Kioni, are you alright?" I looked upwards to see Iroh standing by the railing, looking back at me with an expression of concern.

"Fine," I mumbled. "Just had a bad dream."

Iroh opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as something rumbled loudly above us. Glancing up instinctively, Iroh and I both let out gasps of shock as a familiar furry shape floated through the sky.

"Appa," I breathed, staring up at the sky bison. My brow furrowed slightly, noticing something slightly off. I peered closer, my breath catching in my throat as I realized there was nobody on top of him. Appa... by himself? Panic flooded through me, and when I met Iroh's eyes, I knew we were thinking the same thing.

_Where are Aang and the others?_

"Uncle?" a sleepy voice brought me back down to earth, and I turned to see Zuko rise up slightly, rubbing his eyes. "What are you looking at? Is there something out there?"

"Uh..." Iroh faltered for a second, and I could see the gears whirring desperately in his brain as he oscillated between telling Zuko or not. "It's nothing... Kioni just had a bad dream." Zuko shifted to look at me, but I looked down at my lap, not wanting to meet his gaze.

_Way to drag me into this, old man,_ I grumbled at Iroh.

"You should both go back to sleep," Iroh suggested. After a beat of silence, Zuko turned away from me and lay down again. Leaning back against my pillow, I let out another sigh as I gazed aimlessly up at the night sky, taking in the simple beauty of the pinpricks of stars against the black canvas.

* * *

Like most firebenders, Zuko rose with the sun whether he wanted to or not, so when the dawn crept slowly over the horizon, his amber eyes blinked open unwillingly. Groaning slightly, the firebender propped himself up on an elbow and rubbed groggily at his eyes.

He shot an envious glance at his uncle, who slept soundly despite the rising sun. Iroh seemed to have no problem sleeping in, but despite the the thick fog blanketing the ship, making it impossible to actually see the sun, Zuko could feel its presence in his bones, could feel the fire licking through his veins and making him awake and alert.

Doing his best not to wake his uncle or Kioni, Zuko shucked off his blankets and stood, making his way away from the cots and towards the bow of the ship. Something told him that they were approaching Ba Sing Se, and he wanted to see the great wall for himself.

As he stood at the bow, gazing through the dense fog, Zuko tensed slightly as he heard footsteps behind him. Without looking behind, he could tell it was a stranger - Kioni's footsteps were much lighter and Iroh's much heavier.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the glint of a sword and an outfit of red and blue, and he clenched his fists inconspicuously as irritation flowed through him. _Jet._

"You know," the Freedom Fighter's oily voice reached Zuko's ears. "As soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were."

Zuko's eyes widened in horror, his mind going into overdrive as his body immediately prepared for his fight-or-flight response. Shock, hurt, and betrayal shot through him - Kioni must have told Jet, but she promised she hadn't, but how else would he know, it was impossible, unless -

"You're an outcast," Jet continued, and Zuko paused. "Like me."

_He doesn't know._

So consumed with the flood of relief, Zuko almost missed Jet's next words. "Us outcasts have to stick together," he continued, walking up to stand directly beside the prince. "We have to watch each other's backs. 'Cause no one else will." Jet turned towards him, that little piece of wheat hanging obnoxiously from the corner of his mouth.

Zuko resisted the urge to shove it up his nose.

_I don't need you to watch my back_, Zuko thought, feeling a sudden rush of warmth as his mind flitted to his Uncle, and even Kioni. Despite all the times he fought with her, Zuko knew that they would both protect him if need be, and the realization made a gentle contentment settle in his chest.

"I've realized lately," Zuko said quietly, talking more to himself than to Jet as the fog faded and the great wall of Ba Sing Se slowly came into view. "That being on your own isn't always the best path."

* * *

**What's this? An update? No way! **

**Sorry it's been so long. D: School is really stressful right now, with the end of the year and everything... but summer is just on the horizon! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! **

**... okay, cheesy metaphors aside, I really am sorry for the lack of frequency between updates but I'm trying my best to find spare moments to write. I promise, once summer starts updates will come a lot faster.**

**Reviews have been a bit slow lately, so I really hope you guys will take just the few seconds to let me know your thoughts about the chapter. Likes, dislikes, comments, questions, criticism, please let me know! It really means a lot and helps me become a better writer.**

**Plus, it motivates me to update faster. ;)**

**Next up: The Drill.**


	25. The Drill

Ba Sing Se was... much dirtier than I expected.

I don't know exactly _what_ I expected (a grand sparkling station with breathtaking gold lined arches and gleaming marble floors perhaps) but it certainly wasn't the dark, dingy station that looked exactly like the port at Full Moon Bay.

"Are you alright, Aria?" Iroh asked as we stepped into the customs line. His eyes twinkled with a concealed amusement. "You look... disillusioned."

I huffed slightly as his teasing voice. "It's just different than what I expected, I guess," I grumbled.

"We are not yet inside the main city," Iroh replied. "But do try to remember dear, you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"What are we going to do in Ba Sing Se anyway?" Zuko grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "We don't exactly have money. Or jobs. Or a place to stay."

My eyes widened. "We're not going to have to sleep on the streets, are we?!"

"Calm down, children," Iroh assured us. "Trust me, I will have it all taken care of."

"How?" Zuko asked suspiciously, but Iroh merely smiled at him serenely. I narrowed my eyes. What was that crazy old man planning anyway?

"Next!" a crabby voice called. I glanced up and gulped slightly at the chubby, glaring woman in front of us. Her beady eyes gleamed angrily from under her bushy eyebrows and the single hair protruding from the mole on her forehead quivered slightly.

I shuddered, stepping closer to Zuko.

"Where are your passports?" the lady snarled at us, and Iroh scrambled to reach for the papers in his front pocket.

"Why do the grumpiest people always become travel officers?" I muttered out of the corner of my mouth to Zuko. He didn't say anything in response, but I saw the corner of his mouth lift upward slightly.

"So," the lady said, staring at us as if we'd committed a crime. "Miss Aria, Mister Lee and Mister, uh... Mushy, is it?" I coughed into my sleeve to disguise my laugh and Zuko elbowed me lightly.

"It's pronounced Mushi," Iroh corrected her.

"You tellin' me how to do my job?" she demanded angrily, and Iroh faltered.

"Uh, no, no," he replied placatingly, stepping closer. His voice took on a low, soothing tone. "But may I say, you are like a flower in bloom. Your beauty is... intoxicating."

I clapped a hand over my mouth to stop the giggles that threatened to spill out of me while Zuko's eyes bugged out of his head. He let out the tiniest of groans and slapped a palm to his forehead so he wouldn't have to witness the scene.

The lady's cranky expression melted off her face, only to be replaced by a truly horrifying look that was evidently supposed to be alluring. She leaned forward and grinned eerily, winking at Iroh.

"Mmm, you're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome," she purred. "Welcome to Ba Sing Se." She made a claw motion and meowed before quickly stamped the three documents and handing them back to Iroh, who turned to us with a large grin on his face.

"I'm going to forget I saw that," Zuko groaned, snatching his passport while I mimed a gagging motion. Iroh merely smiled and walked towards the gate, leaving Zuko and I to follow.

"It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se," Iroh sang quietly. "But the girls in the city, they look so pretty!"

"I'm going to be sick," Zuko muttered and I laughed.

* * *

Jet grinned from the back of the line as he watched the Lee, Aria and their uncle walk through the gates and into the Ba Sing Se station. Twirling the piece of wheat in his mouth, he turned back to Smellerbee and Longshot.

"I think Aria and Lee would make good Freedom Fighters," he remarked. "They're just trying to find their way in the world, like us."

"You don't know anything about them, Jet," Smellerbee said, trying not to roll her eyes. Personally, she thought Jet's fascination with the pair of cousins was a little excessive. Sure, she could understand why he was interested in Aria, but Lee? Smellerbee didn't see anything remarkable about him at all.

"I know Aria's parents were killed by the Fire Nation, just like mine," Jet replied. "And I know Lee didn't get that scar from a waterbender."

"The only reason you want them to join is because you've got the hots for that girl," Smellerbee actually did roll her eyes this time. This was like that time with the Avatar's waterbending girlfriend all over again.

"So what if I do?" Jet grinned impishly at her.

"Besides, I thought we were going straight now," Smellerbee continued, ignoring Jet's remark.

"We are," Jet said. "And the new Freedom Fighters could use some guys like Aria and Lee. What do you think, Longshot?" Jet asked, turning towards their ever-silent friend.

Longshot turned his head slightly and gave Jet a meaningful look.

"I can respect that," Jet nodded.

* * *

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" I asked Zuko as we walked through the arches and into the bustling center of the station. Zuko glanced at me, and then to Iroh, who shrugged.

"I'll be waiting over there," he pointed to a sitting area against one of the pillars holding the roof up before making his way over, leaving Zuko and I standing together awkwardly near a food cart. He turned towards me, eyebrows raised questioningly.

"I, um..." I wrung my hands together and looked at the ground, suddenly unable to meet his eye. Spirits, this really shouldn't be that hard to do. "I wanted to apologize."

"To what?" Zuko asked, sounding as if he hadn't heard me, or maybe he just thought he was hearing things.

"To apologize," I repeated in a sigh. "For what I said yesterday about Jet. Um, I didn't mean it and... you were right."

"I was what?"

I glared up at him now, slightly annoyed, but stopped when I the tiniest glimmer of a smirk on his face. It was so unlike any expression I'd seen on him before that it threw me slightly.

"You were right," I said, rolling my eyes this time. "I don't trust him either, there's just something... off about him." Zuko seemed slightly stunned that I'd actually admitted this, because he stared at me in silence for a few moments before looking down.

"I guess I should apologize too then," he mumbled, sounding as if the words were difficult to say. "I didn't mean what I said either... and I'm sorry for uh... interrupting." Zuko cleared his throat and looked away.

It took me a second to understand what he was talking about.

"Oh!" My eyes widened and I blushed slightly, to my chagrin. "No, um, it's fine... I'm actually kinda glad you did." Zuko turned to look at me again, his eyes wide.

"Really?"

"Yeah," I let out a small laugh, tugging on the edge of my tunic. "Like I said... he was a bit creepy once I got to know him." Zuko gave me a shy smile and I blinked in surprise again (since when had Zuko ever done anything _shy_?) before returning it.

"We should probably go get Uncle," I said, nodding to where Iroh was deep in conversation with a large man with a cob of corn hanging out of his mouth. How he could talk with a cob stuffed in his face, I didn't know, but they seemed to be having a very animated discussion.

"Oh, what is he doing now?" Zuko groaned in exasperation, throwing his hands in the air and stomping over. I shook my head, smiling to myself, and followed him.

"Lee!" Iroh greeted him enthusiastically, seemingly oblivious to his stoic expression. "You should really meet Joomba here, he's actually been to-"

"That's wonderful, but we have to go _Uncle_," Zuko said through gritted teeth, grabbing Iroh's arm and dragging him away amid the sputtering protests of the older man. We walked over to a platform and plopped down, Zuko immediately leaning into the pole and Iroh huffing in indignation.

As I sat down, something poked me in the thigh. Frowning, I reached into my pants pocket and pulled out a small piece of crumpled paper. As I unwrapped it, I realized what it was: the address that healer Ohja had given me, of the woman who could supposedly help me learn more about chi healing.

Nervously, I reached into the front of my tunic and fingered the little pouch that hung around my neck, the pouch that Pakku had given me containing herbs from the trees in the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole.

_That was such a long time ago_, I mused, thinking back to the adventure at the North Pole. My fingers tightened around the pouch as the back of my neck prickled suddenly, but I dismissed the feeling.

After all, we were in Ba Sing Se now. We were safe. Weren't we?

Suddenly, a body appeared, sliding in to the space next to mine and bumping me against Zuko. Startled, I yelped and tightened my fists, relaxing only slightly when I saw it was Jet who had appeared.

"So you guys got plans once you're in the city?" he asked, his trademark smirk on his face.

Before we could answer, a cart trundled by, the man pushing it ringing his bell and shouting, "Get your hot tea here! Finest tea in Ba Sing Se!"

"Ooooh!" Iroh straightened, waving the man over enthusiastically. "Jasmine, please! Aria, Lee, would you like some?"

"No thanks," I said while Zuko just fixed his Uncle with a look. The man came over and poured Iroh a cup of tea, and he lifted it to his lips eagerly only to make a face of disgust and spit it out the next second.

"Blergh!" he cried in horror. "Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it! What a disgrace."

"Hey, can I talk to you guys for a second?" Jet asked, tilting his head away to indicate we should go somewhere more private. I exchanged a look with Zuko before getting up and following Jet, Zuko trailing behind.

"The three of us have a much better chance of making in this city if we stick together," Jet said as we walked a safe distance from Iroh, who was still moaning over his cold tea. "You guys wanna join the Freedom Fighters?"

Zuko and I exchanged another look before he spoke. "Thanks, but I don't think you want us in your gang."

"Oh, come on!" Jet insisted. "We made a great team looting that captain's food. Think of all the good we could do for these refugees."

"I said no," Zuko glared, turning and walking away without another word. Jet looked slightly confused and disappointed, but he turned to me.

"What about you, Aria?" he asked. I hesitated, but when he reached for my hand, I had to step back.

"I'm sorry, Jet," I murmured, turning to follow Zuko.

"Have it your way," he said dejectedly. As I walked away from him and back towards Iroh, I noticed the happy smile on the older man's face as he clutched his cup of steaming tea.

Wait. Steaming?

My eyes widened in panic and I glanced quickly from Iroh to Zuko back to Jet, who was watching Iroh with an expression of horrified realization. His eyes met Zuko's behind me and narrowed, fire sparking in those olive green irises and making them dance with fury the way they had in my dream.

Zuko turned back to Iroh and knocked the cup of tea out of his hand, causing it to splatter all over the floor.

"Hey!" Iroh protested.

"What are you doing firebending your tea?!" Zuko hissed in a low voice, sounding furious. "For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move!"

"Oh, spirits, I think he saw," I whispered frantically, glancing back at Jet, who had already disappeared. "Uncle!"

"I know you're not supposed to cry over spilled tea," Iroh sniffed mournfully, staring at the puddle on the floor. "But it's just so sad!" I couldn't believe this.

"This is really not good," I muttered under my breath. "That guy is _crazy_, if he realizes that you two are - _Fire Nation_ -" I mouthed the last two words. "- he'll come after you!"

"He has no proof," Iroh said, waving his hand dissmissively. "Do not worry."

Zuko made a noise of frustration deep in his throat and turned away from his uncle as if he could not physically look at him any longer. While I did think Zuko was being a tiny bit dramatic as usual, I also thought that Iroh was taking this situation far too lightly.

"Uncle," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "I don't think you understand. Jet is legitimately enraged with anything and everything Fire Nation, and I have no doubt that even if he has the slightest reason to believe you are a firebender, he will pursue it and he will track us down and I really don't think that's part of our whole lie low plan, is it?" _  
_

I said all this in one breath, and after I'd finished both Zuko and Iroh looked at me with wide eyes. I realized then I was panting slightly with exertion.

"I think you might be overreacting a little, dear," Iroh said slowly. "You've barely met the boy."

"When we were walking, he started saying all these things," I continued, wrapping my arms around myself. "About how much he hates the Fire Nation and how you're all monsters and how he wouldn't hesitate or show mercy to anyone, and... and I just... it made me really worried, okay?"

Zuko's and Iroh's eyes had grown even wider and they glanced at each other with expressions of concern before looking back to me. Suddenly, Zuko's expression changed from concern to indignation and he crossed his arms, regarding me with a frown.

"So was this before or after you almost kissed him?"

Both mine and Iroh's jaws dropped, and even Zuko looked a little surprised at his outburst. "That is _so_ not the issue here!" I practically screeched, my face reddening.

"Right," Zuko at least had the decency to look abashed. "I don't know what... never mind."

"Last call for Ba Sing Se!" the conductor called before I could say anything else. Iroh shot a nervous look between Zuko and I, as if he could sense the tension, and I didn't doubt he could, before he picked up his bag and walked towards the train.

Part of me felt highly offended by Zuko's remark, but the way that he looked - actually sorry, which was a shock in itself - made me brush it off and forget about it. I didn't know why he'd made a comment like that -

_Jealousy_, the annoying voice in the back of my head whispered.

_That's ridiculous_, I shot back at it. _I don't even like Jet. And Zuko doesn't like me._

_Sure, whatever you want to tell yourself, sweetheart, _the voice said in a bored tone. The strangest thing was, I pictured Toph saying those words as I thought them, hands on her hips and staring at me with an expression of patronizing disbelief.

Shaking my head to rid myself of the thoughts, I boarded the train behind Iroh.

* * *

"Jet!" Smellerbee called as the older Freedom Fighter stalked through the station, she and Longshot hurrying to keep up with his enraged pace. "Relax! So the old guy had some hot tea, big deal!"

"He heated it himself!" Jet scowled, his fists clenched at his sides. "Those guys are _firebenders_."

Saying the words aloud made him feel physically ill - he felt betrayed. _You barely know them_, Smellerbee had said. Well, how right she had been. Although after everything: his talk with Aria, the strange kinship he'd felt with Lee, and the way they'd helped those refugees, Jet really didn't want to believe they could be firebenders.

But he couldn't ignore the proof right in front of him.

The stab of hurt he felt only served to fuel his anger. He'd been wronged by the Fire Nation far too many times, and this was just another blow to his already wounded self. He'd thought he could make a fresh start in Ba Sing Se, finally be free from the torture that plagued him, constantly following him the form of the Fire Nation.

Clearly he'd been wrong.

_That's alright_, Jet thought grimly as he boarded the trolley, seeing Aria, Lee and Mushi board a cart further down. _If the Fire Nation refuses to leave me alone, I can handle them. But I'll make them sorry they ever came after me. _

* * *

I sat down between Iroh and Zuko on one of the benches on the train, thrumming with excitement. We were _so close_. Security, freedom, a warm place to sleep every night - they were just within reach. I hadn't realized before we'd arrived how difficult life had been being on the run as a refugee.

And Iroh and Zuko had been doing it for weeks before I had - I don't know how they'd managed.

"Oh, what a handsome baby," Iroh spoke, leaning over to the woman on his right.

I glanced over and saw a happy looking Earth Kingdom couple, refugees like us, with the new mother holding her small child. My heart thudded in my chest and then contracted as I looked at the baby, who was sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms, her eyes fluttering slightly as she breathed deeply. She couldn't have been more than a few days old.

"Thank you," the woman said with a radiant smile, despite the weary lines etched in her face.

The trolley jolted slightly and then started to move, rolling down the tracks with the help of the earthbenders pushing behind it. I inhaled deeply, feeling the exhaustion make my bones weary, but it was so good to truly be in the Earth Kingdom again.

Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom capital. I couldn't wait to see it.

I turned around to press my nose against the window, not wanting to miss the moment we finally entered the city. I couldn't hold in the gasp that escaped me as the dark tunnel burst into a beautiful clearing, miles and miles of agrarian land, rolling hills and endless fields enclosed by mountains on all sides.

"It's huge," I breathed, unable to believe my eyes. I felt Zuko turn to look beside me, and heard his quiet intake of breath, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the spectacle in front of me.

"This isn't even the city, my dear," Iroh chuckled beside me. "This is merely the area between the Outer Wall and the Inner Wall. Trust me, Ba Sing Se is much larger than this."

"How is that even possible?" I whispered in awe. This section alone looked larger than the entirety of Omashu, and Omashu was by no means a small city.

"It's Ba Sing Se," Iroh shrugged, as if that explained everything. "The impenetrable city, city of beauty, art and culture, city of mysteries, walls and secrets."

"Walls and secrets?" I asked, turning back to Iroh.

"Aria, you must understand something," Iroh said, his face solemn now. "Just because we're in Ba Sing Se doesn't mean we're not still refugees. It is likely that we will not be permitted to leave the Lower Ring."

"What are you talking about?" Zuko asked from beside me.

"Ba Sing Se is a wonderful city, but it is also highly... constrained," Iroh replied slowly. "The Lower Ring, which is where the refugees and poorer citizens live, is walled off from the Middle and Upper Rings to preserve the cities'... cultural heritage and order."

"So they just lock up all the poor people in one place?" I asked. "That's awful." Even in Omashu we had lower income neighborhoods that were admittedly not as nice as the higher ones, but citizens were never forbidden from anywhere in the city.

Iroh shrugged. "Ba Sing Se places a great emphasis on the importance of walls. Some are to keep people out, and others are to wall people in."

I glanced back out the window as we passed through another tunnel and trundled into a small station that looked even dirtier and shabbier than the last. We shouldered our bags and exited the trolley, stepping into the bustling crowd of newly arrived refugees. Some looked ecstatic to be in Ba Sing Se, while others still wore expressions of weariness and exhaustion.

"Come on," Iroh murmured to me and Zuko. "It's getting dark. Let's find an inn to stay at for the night, and tomorrow we shall search for a permanent residence."

As I followed Iroh and Zuko down the streets of the Lower Ring, I couldn't stop looking around - there was just too much to see. I saw children dressed in dirty rags and holding ragged dolls, but they were running through the streets and laughing all the same. I saw men sitting outside shops, roaring with laughter, but one hand always rested instinctively on a sword or club at their side.

_So this is Ba Sing Se_, I thought as I walked through the streets. City of beauty, art and culture. But also the city of mysteries, walls, and secrets. Two sides to a coin - one bright and shiny, the other dull and rusted.

And, for who knew how long, my new home.

* * *

**Kind of a short filler chapter, sorry. But there were some subtle but key moments between Zuko and Kioni, so I'm wondering if you picked up on those. ;)**

**Another milestone for this story I wanted to share with you guys - 100 followers! Thank you so much, this is incredible. And special thanks to those of you who have reviewed almost every chapter; I look forward to your reviews most of all. :)**

**Also: I have an important question for you. Zuko and Kioni... Zukioni or Kiuko? Or any other ship names you guys have come up with?**

**Next up: City of Walls and Secrets.**


	26. City of Walls and Secrets (Part 1)

"Oh spirits, would you look at that pai sho set!" Iroh cried, pointing to an ornate set on display.

"Isn't it magnificent, sir?" the shopkeeper said with a wink. "And it's yours for only nine gold pieces!"

"Ooh, let's buy it!" Iroh clapped his hands together in utter delight while Zuko and I rolled our eyes simultaneously.

"Uncle," I said, for what had to be the fifth time that hour. "We only have ten gold pieces left."

"We have to buy food to eat," Zuko added, his patience running thin.

"And blankets for our apartment."

"And get new clothes."

"And-"

"All right!" Iroh interrupted, casting one final melancholy glance at the pai sho set. "My niece and nephew are right, as much as I do love that set..."

I heaved a sigh of exasperation, grabbing Iroh's arm and pulling him along through the marketplace. Perhaps I'd have been more sympathetic had that not been the fifth or sixth time Iroh had stopped to admire some outlandish, usually unnecessary, and wholly unaffordable item.

We'd left the inn earlier that morning and now were walking among the Lower Ring, trying to find a place to work. We'd managed to find a small, run down apartment in a complex a few blocks away from the marketplace. The place was tiny - consisting only of one bedroom, one bathroom, and a combined kitchen and living space.

Of course, we wouldn't be able to afford even that if we didn't find jobs soon. That fact that we'd been unsuccessful thus far didn't seem to deter Iroh's pleasant spirits, but I'd never seen the old man happier than when he was shopping.

Well, maybe when he was drinking tea, but shopping certainly was a close second.

"Why don't you two find yourselves some new clothes?" Iroh said, nodding towards a clothing shop a few stores down. "I will be back in a few minutes."

"Where are you going?" Zuko asked suspiciously, but Iroh had already taken off, strolling down a random back alley and disappearing from view, leaving just Zuko and me standing in the middle of the street.

"He'll be back," I said, grabbing Zuko's arm and dragging him towards the store amid his protests. "Come on, you big baby, let's buy some clothes."

I pulled Zuko through the doors of the shop and into a small, dimly lit room filled with racks of clothing in various shades of green. Brightening at the sight of clothes in colors other than mud brown, I dropped Zuko's arm and made a beeline for the girls' tunics.

After rifling through the racks of clothes, I finally selected a pale yellowish green blouse with long, slightly puffy sleeves that clinched at the wrists. I tucked the blouse into an olive green wrap skirt which reached just above my knees, and belted it with a darker green sash. I pulled on a pair of brown leggings and tucked the scrap of paper with the address on it into my pouch of herbs, which I slung around my neck.

Staring at my reflection in the grimy mirror, I frowned slightly at my hair, which hung messily around my shoulders. After a moment's deliberation, I picked up the ribbon I'd been wearing before and tied my hair back up in a half ponytail.

_There,_ I thought, satisfied. It wasn't the bright greens of my Omashu princess wear, but it was definitely nice to wear proper green colors again.

"Are you finished?" a voice grumbled from outside, and I pushed back the curtain of the dressing stall to see Zuko standing there with his arms crossed. He wore a long dark brown tunic with dull yellow trim, and the sleeves of his shirt underneath were the same color.

"Well, don't you look like a proper Earth Kingdom boy," I grinned, walking past him to pay for the clothing. Zuko let out an indignant huff in response.

"These colors are ridiculous," he muttered, tugging self consciously at his sleeves as we exited the shop. "I miss red," he said, half whispering, as if nobody else was meant to hear him.

"You could've picked more interesting colors," I pointed out, choosing to ignore the melancholy longing in his voice. Zuko simply scowled and continued walking.

Suddenly, Iroh appeared beside us again, dressed in his own brighter green tunic and holding a vase filled with cheerful yellow flowers. He wore a large grin and smelled faintly of... tea? I narrowed my eyes. Iroh always smelled like tea, it didn't mean anything... or did it?

"Where did you get that?" I asked, pointing to the flowerpot.

"I just want our new place to look nice," Iroh said, sending a coy look towards the two of us. "In case Aria's new boyfriend Jet comes over."

"He's not my boyfriend," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Ah well," Iroh grinned, still looking sly. "Maybe someone will bring home a lady friend." Iroh winked and nudged Zuko teasingly, but the scarred teen merely glared in response.

"This city is a prison," he scowled. "I don't want to make a life here."

"Life happens wherever you are," Iroh said in response. "Whether you make it or not."

I turned to look at Zuko out of the corner of my eye, and he met my gaze after a minute. I blinked in surprise, but then gave him a small smile of encouragement. His frown didn't change, but I saw his features soften slightly.

"Now come on," Iroh continued, seemingly oblivious to our exchange. "I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon!"

"You found us jobs?" I asked in surprise. "Where?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," Iroh winked, grinning widely.

* * *

Jet stepped out from an alleyway, glaring at the three forms walking down the street.

"Look at them," he snarled. "Firebenders living right under everyone's nose."

"Jet, you saw a man with a hot cup of tea," Smellerbee said, stepping out behind him. "It doesn't mean he's a firebender! And what if he is? Are we supposed to attack them? I thought we were starting over here. Changing our ways."

Smellerbee knew before she even finished her sentence that arguing was pointless - she'd been trying to convince him to lay off the three refugees for the last two days, but Jet wouldn't listen to reason.

"We are," Jet insisted, not taking his eyes off of Aria, Lee and their uncle, although the three had grown smaller and smaller in their view. "Once I get the evidence I need, I'll report them to the police and let them handle it. Okay?" He turned back to Smellerbee and Longshot, and the silent boy crossed his arms over his chest, clearly skeptical.

Of course, Jet didn't sound all that convincing, but Smellerbee didn't see what other choice she had. She'd been following him her whole life.

"Fine," she sighed. "But how are you going to get proof? They're not going to just admit it."

"Trust me," Jet replied, his eyes narrowing to focus on Aria's swinging ponytail. "I don't need them all to talk. I just need to convince one."

* * *

The reason why Iroh was so excited for our new jobs soon became clear, because - and I couldn't believe I hadn't guessed this sooner - we were working in a tea shop.

The shop, creatively named Pao's Tea Shop after the owner, was small and dusty, but it was only two blocks from our apartment and offered a source of income, while very modest, sufficient enough to buy food and pay the rent. And of course, we got free tea, which I suspected was the primary reason Iroh had gotten the jobs.

"Well, you certainly look like official tea servers," Pao smiled at us after we'd put on our aprons. "How do you feel?"

"Ridiculous," Zuko deadpanned, a sullen expression on his face. I resisted the urge to laugh, but the sight of Zuko, prince of the Fire Nation, dressed in an _apron_ and sulking like a three year old child was just too funny.

"Err," Iroh squirmed uncomfortably, struggling to tie the ends of his apron together. "Does this possibly come in a larger size?"

"I have extra string in the back," Pao said, pouring us three cups of steaming tea. "Please, have some tea while you wait." He handed us the cups before walking off behind the counter.

Iroh took a sip of his juice before his eyes widened and he made a face of disgust. "Blergh!" he cried. Zuko and I looked at him in surprise. Tentatively, I took a sip of the tea and pursed my lips. It certainly wasn't Iroh's level of tea, but I didn't think it was _bad_. Maybe just a little watery.

"This tea is nothing but hot leaf juice!" Iroh proclaimed, glaring mistrustfully at the tea as if it had just personally offended him.

"Uncle," Zuko said, rolling his eyes. "That's what _all_ tea is." I hid my smirk as Iroh turned on his nephew in outrage.

"How could a member of my own family say something so horrible?" he cried dramatically. He snatched the tea kettle off the table and stormed towards the window. "We'll have to make some major changes around he!" he declared, tossing the contents of the kettle out the window.

"Poor Pao," I snickered to Zuko under my breath. "He's not going to know what hit him."

Pao walked out from the back rooms with a roll of string in his hand, which he handed to Iroh. Glancing around, his eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw the empty tea kettle.

"We're all out of tea?" he questioned.

"Oh yes, it was so delicious we drank it all," Iroh lied smoothly, fastening his apron around his large belly. "Do not worry, I shall make another pot right away."

"Oh... alright," Pao said weakly. "I'll go ahead and open up shop then."

"That sounds good," Iroh replied, already busying himself with the teapot. "Aria, Lee, please help Mister Pao wipe down the tables and take down the chairs, we want this place looking presentable for our customers."

I covered my mouth to hide my smirk, shrugging as Pao turned towards us helplessly.

* * *

"Hello, welcome to Pao's Tea Shop, what can I get for you?" I smiled at the pair of officers that had just sat down. With one stick of charcoal stuck behind my ear and another in my hand, I stood poised with my notebook, ready to take their orders.

"One ginseng and one jasmine please," one of the officers said.

"Coming right up!" I jotted down their order and sashayed away, my skirt swinging slightly behind me.

"Lee!" I called as I passed the scarred boy who was slouching against the counter. His head jerked up in surprise, looking around before his eyes landed on me, annoyed.

"Tables three and five need cleaning," I smirked, swishing past him into the kitchen.

"Why are you so cheerful?" he groaned as he picked up his dishrag, waving it around. "We're practically like servants, taking orders from these common peasants." I stopped, heaving long-suffering sigh and walking back into the main area.

"First of all, keep your voice down, Pouty," I said. "Second, if you want to be an insufferable brat, go right ahead, but excuse me for trying to enjoy the fact that we don't have to sleep on the dirt tonight."

Seemingly not hearing a word I'd said, Zuko's mouth pulled downwards even further. "Pouty?" he cried indignantly.

"Just go wash your tables," I rolled my eyes and turned around, walking back into the kitchen.

"I am not an insufferable brat!" Zuko yelled behind me.

"Tell it to someone who believes it!" I called back. "One ginseng and one jasmine tea, Uncle," I said to Iroh, who was watching me with an amused expression, the smirk wide on his face. "What?"

"Nothing," he chuckled, shaking his head. "I'd just forgotten how entertaining it is to watch the two of you." Once again, I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I'm glad you find amusement in my frustration," I retorted, shooting him a grin so he'd know I was joking. I felt more lighthearted than I had in days. Working in the tea shop was actually kind of fun - I got to meet people and serve tea, not to mention free cups of tea whenever we wanted. There were definitely worse jobs that Iroh could have found us.

I walked back into the main shop, my smile growing wider when I saw Zuko scowling in annoyance as he scrubbed down a table.

"You missed a spot, Lee!" I called teasingly. Zuko pushed some hair out of his face and glared at me.

"Don't you have customers to attend to, _Aria?_" he shot back, pointing at a girl about my age who had just walked in, a surprised expression on her face. She looked towards the sound of the commotion, her eyes widening further when she saw Zuko.

Sticking my tongue out at the firebender, I snatched the pad off of the counter and approached the girl. "Hi, welcome to Pao's Tea Shop," I said in a friendly tone. "Go ahead and have a seat anywhere. Do you know what kind of tea you'd like?"

"No, not yet," she said distractedly, looking around the shop as she sat down at a table near the door.

"Well, I'd recommend the jasmine," I continued, keeping my voice cheerful. "It's our new specialty."

"That sounds great," she paused her examination of the shop and smiled warmly at me. "Sorry if this is intrusive... but I've never seen this tea shop so bustling. Did you just start working here?"

"Yeah I just moved here," I replied. "My uncle is a fantastic tea maker, so Pao hired us to work in his shop."

"I can tell," she said, her eyes fixed on Zuko, who was walking slowly towards the kitchen with an pile of teacups balancing precariously in his arms. "My name is Jin."

"Aria," I said. "It's nice to meet you. Let me get your tea." She nodded once absently, and my gaze flickered from her to Zuko, who was just disappearing through the back doors.

I strolled through the swinging doors leading to the kitchen, humming happily to myself, and poured two cups of jasmine tea and one cup of ginseng, balancing all three cups on a tray. As I walked back out, I noticed Zuko leaning against the counter again, his head in his arms.

"Hey, Lee!" I snapped my fingers in front of him and he jerked upright, nearly upsetting my tray of tea. "No sleeping on the job, lazy."

"Ugh," Zuko groaned rubbing his eyes and glaring at me. "I'm taking a break."

"Lee!" Pao's frantic voice called from the other end of the shop. "Lee, a teacup broke, can you clean this up, please?" I turned back to Zuko, a smirk on my lips, as he flopped back down with another groan.

"It's not fair," he complained, his voice muffled in his shirt sleeve. "Why do I have wipe tables and clean broken teacups while you get to sashay around humming and serving tea?"

"Face it, I'm just more likeable than you are," I winked, ruffling his hair.

"I hate you," he grumbled in response, standing up slowly.

"Oh, I know for a fact _that's _not true," I said under my breath. My eyes widened, surprised by my own boldness, but I couldn't help the twinge of amused satisfaction when Zuko's cheeks turned slightly pink.

Turning around with a smirk, I walked over to the two officers and handed them their teacups before heading over to Jin to give her the second cup of jasmine tea. As I set the steaming cup down in front of her, her eyes watched me curiously.

"Thank you," she smiled, accepting the cup. "Wait!" she called as I turned around and started to head back. I turned back to face her. "Would you... would you want to sit for a bit?"

I raised my eyebrows, slightly surprised, before sending an uncertain glance towards Zuko, who was still sweeping up the remnants of broken glass. On one hand, I felt kind of bad that he had to do all the grunt work, but on the other hand, who was I to say no to a new friend? I looked over again, Zuko meeting my eyes this time, and I made my decision.

"I'm sorry, I can't," I apologized, gesturing to Zuko. "I'd feel bad slacking off."

"He's welcome to join us," Jin murmured, so quietly I wasn't sure I was supposed to hear.

"Aria! Lee!" Iroh called before I could respond, walking through the kitchen doors without his apron. "Our shift is over, let's go back to the apartment and get some rest before tomorrow."

Letting out a soft cry of relief, Zuko dumped the contents of his dustbin into the trash and threw off his apron. I shot Jin an apologetic smile and stood also, untying my apron.

"Sorry I can't stay," I said as I hung my apron on one of the pins behind the counter. "Maybe some other time?"

"Yeah," she responded, not quite paying attention, and her gazed was focused behind me. I turned, but all I could see were Zuko and Iroh standing in the doorway, the former with his arms crossed and his foot tapping impatiently.

"I'll see you around," I waved once to Jin before hurrying over to the pair.

"Who was she?" Zuko asked suspiciously as we walked outside into the night and headed towards the apartment.

"I don't know," I replied truthfully. "I just met her."

"Hm," Zuko said, before lapsing into silence.

The walk back our apartment was short and quiet, with only the slight din of crickets chirping in the background to accompany our dimly lit stroll. Iroh unlocked the door, an we stepped into the modest, three-room apartment, and despite its tiny size, the place felt undeniably homey.

"Aria, could you open a window please?" Iroh asked as Zuko took of his shoes and immediately collapsed on the couch.

"Are we still using those names?" I asked as I walked over to the window. "I mean, I think it's fine in our own house." As soon as I opened the window though, I heard what sounded like a quick gasp and the rustle of clothes. Squinting through the darkness, I could have sworn I saw a glint of metal.

"It's best to be completely safe, especially with windows open to the outside," Iroh said and I nodded quickly. I glanced over my shoulder again, but I couldn't make out any movement in the darkness. Deciding it must have just been an animal or something, I walked back over to the couch where Zuko was sprawled out, taking up all the space.

"Scooch," I muttered, pushing his legs aside and sitting on the other end of the couch. I kicked my legs up so they were pressed against his; he gave me an indignant look, opening his mouth, but I leveled him with a stare that caused him to close his mouth and bring his legs up to rest precariously on the edge.

"Would you like a pot of tea?" Iroh asked, walking over to the kitchen.

"We've been working in a tea shop all day!" Zuko groaned, his head falling back. "I'm sick of tea!"

"Sick of tea!?" Iroh cried. "That's like being sick of breathing!"

"I'll have some, Uncle," I said, amusement creeping into my voice.

"At least there is one other reasonable person in this house," Iroh replied in a teasing tone. He bent down to rifle through the drawers. "Have you seen the spark rocks to heat up the water?"

"Why do we need spark rocks?" Zuko muttered. "There's no one around."

"Best to be safe," Iroh said before a thoughtful expression crossed his face. "Now where could they have gone?"

"I can ask one of the neighbors if we can borrow theirs," I offered and Iroh's face brightened.

"Would you?" he asked. "Oh, dear, you are too kind!"

"It's no big deal, Uncle," I smiled, getting up and putting on my shoes. "I'll be right back."

I stepped out into the night, closing the door gently behind me, and looked around at the other apartments in our complex. The ones on either side of ours were dark, so the closest one that seemed to be occupied was at the end of the street. I shivered slightly as I rounded the corner of the hallway; the night air was chillier than I'd expected, and for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched.

"Hey, Aria."

I jumped at the voice, my body immediately slipping into fight-or-flight mode as I whirled around in a defensive position. Looking around furiously, my eyes landed on a sharp silhouette leaning against the wall, a strand of wheat hanging from the figure's mouth.

"Jet," I sighed, relaxing my stance, but my posture remained tense.

"You seem jumpy," he remarked, stepping out from the corner. In the dim light, I could barely make out his features, and that made me even more uncomfortable.

"You snuck up on me," I pointed out, crossing my arms.

"True," he chuckled, but the sound was darkened with something malicious. "So, how are you enjoying Ba Sing Se so far?"

"Fine," I answered suspiciously, drawing into myself slightly as he started walking closer. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know," he said nonchalantly, still approaching. "Just thought I'd come see how you and Lee were settling in. Do you want to go for a walk or something?"

The question was perfectly innocent, but there was an undercurrent of menace to it that set me on edge. Perhaps it was what had happened the last time I went on a walk with Jet. There was also the fact that I was nearly a hundred percent sure Jet had seen Iroh firebending his tea, so I didn't really trust anything he said or any motivations he claimed to have.

"Sorry, I can't right now," I replied, hoping my voice came out apologetic, and gestured towards the lit apartment at the end of the walkway. "I'm just going to go borrow some spark rocks from the neighbors."

"Oh?" Jet reached into his pocket and pulled out two small objects, twirling them in his fingers. "These spark rocks?" he asked, watching coolly for my reaction.

I blinked once, staring at the spark rocks in his hand. "Where did you get those?" I demanded, dread and fear settling into my bones. Had he broken into our apartment?

"You know, it's funny," Jet continued as if he hadn't heard me, the menacing undertone in his voice getting stronger. "What on earth would a firebender need with spark rocks?"

I froze, my throat going dry.

"What are you talking about?" I said after a beat, hoping I sounded confused. Jet threw the rocks on the ground and I winced as they sparked lightly against the concrete. He stepped closer to me, his eyes glinting angrily in the darkness.

"Don't play dumb with me, Aria," he snarled. "If that's even your real name. I saw your uncle firebending his tea at the train station, and I know you three are firenbenders."

"You're crazy," I said, sidestepping around him quickly. "I'm not a firebender."

"Did you think you could just get away with living under everyone's noses?" Jet continued ranting, seemingly oblivious to anything I was saying. "Did you think you could just sneak in here and... and take down the Earth Kingdom from inside or whatever evil things you're planning, without anyone noticing? My entire life I've been hunted and tortured by the Fire Nation, and you thought I wouldn't recognize you monsters for what you are?!"

"Jet, don't be ridiculous," I tried to reason with him, although my adrenaline was running through my veins at top speed. Why, oh why had I left my swords inside the apartment? I glanced around surreptisiously, but Jet was blocking the only pathway back to the apartment.

I briefly contemplated bending to prove myself. Surely, if Jet saw me earthbend he would assume Zuko and Iroh were earthbenders also and leave all of us alone. But Iroh had warned all of us against displaying our bending unless absolutely necessary, because even earthbending, especially the violent kind, would draw unwanted attention from the Dai Li.

"You don't know what you're talking about. We're just refugees," I said, keeping my voice calm to not betray the fear I felt. Jet's eyes were glinting evilly in the darkness and my heart stopped for a second when he whipped out his two hook swords, holding them towards me.

"You're still going to deny it?!" he said, raising his voice until it was practically a yell. He pointed one of his swords at me and I held my hands up as a last-minute attempt to convey peace, although my muscles were coiled tight with anticipation.

With a yell, Jet rushed towards me with this swords, swinging wildly. I ducked under his arm, my heart pounding and tried to run back towards the apartment. Unfortunately Jet ran up the wall that was a dead end and flipped backwards so he landed in front of me, blocking my path once more. I let out an involuntary gasp and stepped back before regaining control and shifting into an defensive position.

Just because I couldn't bend didn't mean I couldn't fight.

"Don't do this, Jet," I said, my voice hard but with a pleading note to it. "I promise, I'm on your side."

"You must think I'm really stupid if you think I'd believe that," he growled, his eyes narrowed with anger, as he rushed at me again.

I ducked under his sword once more, twisting around his backside and holding my arms out slightly in front of me to block his attacks. He jabbed one sword at me, I caught it on my arm about midway down the sword and pushed down so it couldn't reach me. With a snarl, Jet pulled the sword back and swiped at my legs, but I leapt out of the way quickly.

"Please calm down," I continued to try to reason with him as he came at me again, his anger causing his swings to be sloppy and easily dodged. "Your mind is clouded with anger, Jet, and I know the Fire Nation has hurt you, but you can't go around attacking innocent people because that's just as wrong, that's just as monstrous and twisted and ev-"

I was cut off with a sharp gasp as Jet let out a roar of anger and swung forward hard with his swords, causing me to trip and topple backwards. I fell on the ground with a hard _thud_, landing painfully on my tailbone. I glanced up as Jet thrust one of his swords under my chin, glaring at me furiously.

"Admit it," he hissed at me. "Admit you're a firebender."

"You're out of your mind," I responded, my voice shaking slightly as I tried to back up only to come into contant with the wall of the alleyway. Fear pulsed through my bones as I realized I was completely trapped.

"How dare you," Jet snarled, the words sounding like they came out of an insane person's mouth. "How dare you say those things to me when everything I've done, I've done for the good of people like me, while you do nothing but destroy and hurt?"

Despite my less than ideal position, a spark of anger flared inside me.

"You don't do anything for the good of others!" I shot back, surprised to hear my voice almost at a shout. "You're just focused on some mindless revenge for something that happened years and years ago, something you can't change! You let that anger consume you and direct it at anyone or anything in your path, regardless of whether they deserve it or not! You're just as destructive and hurtful as the Fire Nation, and even worse, you pretend you're doing it for the good of others, when you don't even really care about anyone but yourself!"

I fell silent as Jet pressed his sword deeper against the base of my throat, restricting off my air supply, and I winced as the sharp blade dug into my skin.

"You are nothing but a low down, no good, firebreathing monster," he spat at me, his expression so contorted with hatred that he didn't even look human anymore. "I'm going to make sure neither you, nor your fat, lazy uncle, nor your disgusting, scarred cousin never have the chance to hurt anyone else again. I'm going to make sure all three of you _burn._"

Suddenly, my mind flashed to my dream of Jet cackling over Zuko's burning body as I stood by watching helplessly. As I locked eyes with him, I noted with astonishment that the Jet in my dreams looked exactly like the Jet in reality. Broken, corrupt, _evil_. The fear that had been creeping up my chest was immediately pushed down by anger and a hot, fierce protectiveness.

_Screw the Dai Li._

Adrenaline rose up in me, and before I fully knew what I was doing, my legs kicked outwards and I pushed myself up on two columns of earth. Jet cried out in shock as he skidded backward on the patch of earth that flew away from the wall, his swords clattering to the ground. Thrumming with fury, I stomped twice and thrust my arms outwards until Jet slammed against the opposite wall. I twisted my hands until the rock rose out of the wall to cover his wrists so that he hung spread eagle against the stone.

Panting heavily, my eyes flashing angrily, I stalked across the hallway that divided us. Jet's head snapped up to meet mine, and beneath the rage I felt a prick of satisfaction at the stunned look on his face, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

"But... how..." he sputtered, completely at a loss for words.

I kicked one of his swords aside and he flinched slightly at the clang it made as it hit the wall. As I jabbed a finger into his chest and his olive green eyes, which a moment ago had been filled with rage and hatred, met mine with confusion and an undertone of fear.

"I'm going to say this once, so you better listen carefully," I hissed, my voice low and dangerous, as I locked eyes with the Freedom Fighter, not breaking his gaze even as he struggled futilely against his bonds.

"_Stay away from my family._"

* * *

**Sooo the poll came back strongly in favor of Kiuko... so Kiuko it is! Doesn't it just flow off the tongue so nicely? And just wait, things will be progressing quickly for Kiuko shortly... **

**I hope you liked this chapter, writing Jet both creeps me out and fascinates me at the same time, so I hope I did him justice. I don't know about you, but I think Kioni's protective side is quite endearing. ^_^**

**I don't have much else to say in this author's note... except for PLEASE REVIEW! **

**Up next: City of Walls and Secrets, Part 2. **


	27. City of Walls and Secrets (Part 2)

_Previously on The Earth on Fire..._

_"Some day, though," Jet said, the menacing tone creeping back into his voice. "Some day, I'm going to face the Fire Nation again. And I'm going to take them down, no mercy. I won't hurt innocent people anymore, but I can't make those promises for those firebender scum."_

_An uneasy feeling crept into my chest as I thought of Iroh and Zuko, and the intense rage and hatred that bubbled directly below Jet's skin. "But not all people from the Fire Nation are completely evil," I protested weakly._

_"How can you say that?!" Jet exclaimed. "The Fire Nation killed your parents! They uprooted you from your home, they're the direct cause for all of your problems and misery. Fire burns, and it doesn't care who or what it destroys in the process."_

~*•°•*~

_"Have it your way," Jet said dejectedly. As I walked away from him and back towards Iroh, I noticed the happy smile on the older man's face as he clutched his cup of steaming tea._

_Wait. Steaming?_

_My eyes widened in panic and I glanced quickly from Iroh to Zuko back to Jet, who was watching Iroh with an expression of horrified realization. His eyes met Zuko's behind me and narrowed, fire sparking in those olive green irises and making them dance with fury the way they had in my dream._

_"What are you doing firebending your tea?!" Zuko hissed in a low voice, sounding furious. "For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move!"_

~*•°•*~

_"I'm just going to look for spark rocks to borrow," I said._

_"Oh?" Jet reached into his pocket and pulled out two small objects, twirling them in his fingers. "These spark rocks?" he asked, watching coolly for my reaction._

_I blinked once, staring at the spark rocks in his hand. "Where did you get those?" I demanded, dread and fear settling into my bones. Had he broken into our apartment?_

_"You know, it's funny," Jet continued as if he hadn't heard me, the menacing undertone in his voice getting stronger. "What on earth would a firebender need with spark rocks?"_

_I froze, my throat going dry._

_~*•°•*~_

_"You are nothing but a low down, no good, firebreathing monster," he spat at me, his expression contorted in hatred until he didn't even look human anymore. "I'm going to make sure neither you, nor your fat, lazy uncle, nor your disgusting, scarred cousin never have the chance to hurt anyone else again. I'm going to make sure all three of you __burn._"

_Adrenaline, sparked by anger and a hot, fierce protectiveness rose up in me, and before I could stop myself, my legs kicked outwards and I pushed myself up on two columns of earth. I stomped twice and thrust my arms outwards until Jet slammed against the opposite wall. I twisted my hands until the rock rose out of the wall to cover his wrists so that he hung spread eagle against the stone._

_Panting heavily, my eyes flashing angrily, I stalked across the hallway that divided us. Jet's head snapped up to meet mine, and beneath the rage I felt a prick of satisfaction at the stunned look on his face, eyes wide and mouth hanging open._

_"I'm going to say this once, so you better listen carefully," I hissed, my voice low and dangerous, as I locked eyes with the Freedom Fighter, not breaking his gaze even as he struggled futilely against his bonds._

_"Stay away from my family."_

* * *

As soon as the words left my mouth, my head caught up with my heart and my eyes widened slightly. I whirled around, quickly bending down to pick up the discarded spark rocks and rushed down the hallway, not looking back even as Jet shouted out behind me.

Turning the corner, I was shocked to feel tears at the corner of my eyes. I leaned against the wall of the apartment next to ours, breathing heavily and trying to control my heart rate. I wiped at my eyes furiously, trying to calm myself down before I entered the house.

I couldn't let Iroh and Zuko know about what just happened. It would ruin everything, the sense of peace that was only just beginning to descend upon our little group. I didn't want them to worry, and I saw no pressing reason to trouble them with the information. Jet had seen clearly I was an earthbender, so I prayed he would assume the same of the two firebenders.

Taking another deep breath, I walked over to the house and knocked twice on the door. Iroh opened it, an expression of relief crossing his face when he saw who it was.

"Oh, Aria!" he cried, ushering me inside. "I was just beginning to worry."

"It took me a while to find an occupied apartment, but I got the rocks," I held them out to him and he took them gratefully, starting to make the pot of tea.

I sat down on the couch next to Zuko, who was sitting upright, and looked down at my hands, which were clenched together in my lap to keep them from shaking. After the rush of anger had worn off, I felt weak and exhausted.

"What happened to you?" I glanced up quickly to see Zuko looking at me with an expression that was a cross between suspicion and concern.

"What?" I repeated, trying to keep my voice level. Iroh also turned around from his tea preparation, his brow furrowing.

"You're all pale," Zuko pointed out, his lips pursed.

"Oh... it's just pretty cold outside," I answered quickly, hoping my lie was convincing. Zuko stared at me for a minute longer before turning away without another word.

"Here, have some tea, dear," Iroh handed me the cup and I sipped at it gratefully, my eyes sliding shut with contentment as the warm feeling spread through me, dispelling some of the anxiety that was overtaking my brain. Iroh's tea was always calming.

"Perhaps you should turn in for the night," he suggested. My eyes flickered open to see Iroh staring at me with open concern. "Are you sure you're alright, dear? Did something happen outside?"

At this, Zuko started and also turned to look at me, his golden eyes searching my face. Although his expression remained impassive, his eyes gleamed with some unknown emotion and his fists clenched at his sides suddenly. I squirmed uncomfortably under their searching gazes.

"No, nothing happened," I lied, squeezing my hands at my sides. "But you're right Iroh, I do feel rather tired. I think I'll go to bed. Thank you for the tea." I got up quickly and put the cup in the sink walked over to the bedroom door, sliding it open and stepping inside.

The two pairs of golden eyes didn't leave my back the entire time.

* * *

"Jet?!" Smellerbee cried incredulously as she saw her leader pinned against the wall of a back alley near an apartment complex. His head jerked up when she called his name, and he started to struggle again as soon as he saw her.

"Smellerbee, Longshot, thank Koh!" Jet called. "What took you so long?! Help me outta here!"

"What happened to you?" Smellerbee asked as she and Longshot rushed over to where Jet was trapped. She cocked her head slightly, examining the earthen shackles around his wrists that bound him to the wall. Bindings like this could have only been made by an earthbender. "You didn't get into trouble with the Dai Li, did you?!"

"No," Jet grunted, pulling fruitlessly against the binds. Longshot walked backwards and notched an arrow in his bow, gesturing for Smellerbee to back away. Seeing what the archer was about to do, Jet froze and held very still.

Two arrows whizzed through the air, landing neatly in the cracks of the rock handcuffs and shattering them instantly. Jet fell to his hands and knees and got up shakily, rubbing his wrists as he did so.

"Thanks, Longshot," he said, his wrists still red and raw.

"Who did this to you?!" Smellerbee demanded, walking up to him.

"It was that crazy refugee chick, Aria," Jet growled, glaring up the alley. Smellerbee blinked in surprise, not sure if she had heard correctly. When she realized that was indeed what Jet had said, relief washed over her, despite the situation.

"She's an earthbender?" Smellerbee asked, the relief quickly being replaced by annoyance and a small twinge of the satisfaction of being right. "What did I tell you, Jet? Now maybe we can finally move on."

"No!" Jet jerked away as Smellerbee reached out to him, and the smaller Freedom Fighter recoiled as if burned. "She may be an earthbender, but that doesn't change anything! In fact, it makes things _worse_. At first I thought she was just from the Fire Nation, but now I know that she's a _traitor_."

"What?" Smellerbee asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"She's protecting them," Jet hissed, clenching his fists. "She's protecting the two firebenders for some reason. I don't know why, but I know that she is."

"What?!" Smellerbee repeated, this time with disbelief. "Jet, come _on_. How could her uncle and cousin be firebenders if she's an earthbender?"

"They're not related!" Jet cried, starting to pace angrily around the alley. "I can't believe I didn't see it before. No, I saw it, I just didn't want to believe it. She doesn't look anything like them, how do you guys not see this? She's protecting them! She's a traitor, and she's protecting firebenders!"

Disbelief was written all over Longshot's face and he held his hands up in a gesture of skepticism, but Jet merely glared at him angrily. The glare morphed into a full on scowl as Smellerbee and Longshot exchanged glances.

"If you two don't believe me, fine!" Jet yelled. "But I'll show you, I'll get proof that they're firebenders."

"Jet, it's not that we don't believe you," Smellerbee started, but her leader had already stormed down the alley and out of sight.

* * *

_I was walking in an unfamiliar town, looking around at the stone buildings and wondering where I was. People passed by me without a spare glance in my direction, and after a few moments of unsuccessfully trying to get someone's attention, I realized that they might not even be able to see me at all. _

_"Hey! Give me back Ms. Pretty!" _

_I turned to see a Fire Nation soldier dangling a small doll in the air, above a tiny girl dressed in a green dress. The girl was jumping to try to reach her doll, but to no avail, and her startlingly green eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Blood boiled hot in my veins and I moved to help her, when suddenly a louder cry caught my attention. _

_"Hey! Hey, everyone listen!" Glancing towards the sound of the noise, I nearly did a double take when I saw a familiar boy dressed in blue running into the center of the square, waving his arms frantically._

_"Sokka?" I asked in confusion, but he didn't seem to hear me._

_"You all have to get out of here!" Sokka yelled. "He's going to flood the village!" _

_Flood the villa-? My thoughts were cut off as a humongous roar filled the air. I looked up in shock and absolute horror to see a monstrous wave rushing towards me. People around me began to scream and run away, jostling me as they rushed past, but my feet were rooted to the ground. I stood motionless, mouth agape, as the water reared up like some terrifying beast, as if it was alive, and then came crashing down._

_I blinked and was transported away; when I opened my eyes I was standing overlooking a vast expanse of water. With a frightening jolt, I realized that I was looking at the town, now completely flooded._

_No! I thought in horror, my hands flying to my mouth. The villagers were all still in there, Sokka, the little-_

_A cough caught my attention, and I looked down to see the water lapping at my toes. My eyes landed on a small head bobbing in the water and I gasped aloud, rushing in to grab the small girl. I hoisted her up in my arms and carried her back to shore, laying her down on the ground. _

_Her eyes were closed and her wet hair stuck to her childishly round face. She appeared to be trembling more than she was actually breathing, and in one chubby fist, she clutched at her soaking wet doll. _

_"No," I gasped, my hands flying frantically over her body. "No, please." I reached into my shirt for my pouch of herbs, but my fingers only came into contact with skin. I looked around desperately for something, anything. _

_"You could help her, you know," a booming voice sounded in my ears. I flinched as I remembered the intense pain of chi healing, but what choice did I have? Taking a deep breath, I placed my hands on the girl's chest and tried to convey my energy into her. _

_Another gasp escaped me when I felt the energy rush out of my body, more quickly and chaotically than before; it only took a few seconds before my arms sagged with effort, the energy being drained out of me. To my horror, the girl did not seem to be healing; her breathing was actually becoming slower and more labored than before. _

_What was happening? Why couldn't I do it?_

_"You could help her," the same booming voice repeated, sounding crueler and colder than before. "If you could do it right." _

_"I'm trying," I whimpered, tears starting to run down my face. My fingers clutched her soaked shirt tighter, but she still did not open her eyes and I grew weaker by the minute. Iroh's stern face floated in front of me, mouthing words that I could not hear over the roaring in my ears. _

_"Wake up," I sobbed desperately as she remained motionless. White spots started to dance before my eyes, and breathing became harder and harder. "Wake up, wake up, please wake up..." _

"Wake up."

Something was shaking my shoulder, but I flinched away and buried my face deeper into my pillow, trembling with the horrors of my nightmare.

"Wake up."

I squeezed my eyes shut, nearly suffocating in my pillow, unable to banish the images of the giant wall of water crashing down, or the little girl's lifeless body spread eagle in front of me.

"Agni, Kioni, would you just wake up?"

I choked in a breath as my eyes flew open, immediately locking with two pools of melted gold. In my sleep deprived state, I didn't register that I was looking at Zuko's face, and my mouth hung open stupidly as I panted with exertion.

"Wha... what..." I struggled to control myself as I sat up shakily, rubbing my eyes to get rid of the tears building in the corners. Zuko stood at the edge of my bed, fully dressed, leaning over me with an undecipherable expression.

"We're going to the market," Zuko said, stepping back when I sat up. I blinked a few more times as the last trails of my nightmare vanished from my mind the way dreams do, leaving me only with a deep sense of unease and grief.

"The market?" I repeated groggily.

"Uncle needs a new cooking pot and he wants to work both shifts at the tea shop," Zuko said, now leaning against the wall. "So get ready, we'll leave in fifteen minutes."

I watched him, unable to speak, as he turned away and started to walk away. He slid the door open and turned back to look at me at the last minute, his mouth set in a slight frown that was unusually concerned.

"Nightmare?" he asked gruffly. I blinked in surprise before nodding once, somewhat sheepishly. "Have some chamomile tea. Trust me, it helps."

With that, Zuko disappeared out the door, leaving me staring after him.

* * *

"So why does Uncle need a cooking pot again?" I asked as Zuko and I walked down the marketplace we passed through the previous day. Much to my surprise, the chamomile tea had helped greatly with the cold sweats lingering from my nightmare. I didn't want to think too much about how Zuko knew the cures for post nightmare trauma; the thought made me sad and curious at the same time.

"Something about making 'real food'," Zuko replied, putting air quotes around the words. "He's right, the food here is disgustingly bland." I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him slightly.

"Excuse me, there's nothing wrong with Earth Kingdom food," I huffed.

"Sure, if you like eating tasteless mush," Zuko countered, but a smirk played on the edges of his mouth.

"At least it doesn't burn your tongue off," I muttered under my breath. "Like the food of some _other_ culture I could mention."

"It's not that spicy!" Zuko protested.

"Right," I rolled my eyes. "I think most of my meals on your ship were one tenth food and nine tenths gulping down water."

"Maybe you just couldn't handle it," Zuko said. I turned to look at him incredulously, a snappish retort ready on my lips, but I stopped when I saw his eyes were twinkling amusedly. I couldn't do anything but blink in response then, the words vanished from my mouth.

"What?" he asked, looking behind him as if something there had caught my attention.

"Nothing," I said hastily, looking away. "Just thought I saw something."

We continued through the marketplace, searching for something that would meet Iroh's standards, which unfortunately, were rather high. I noticed people giving us looks as we passed through the shops and stalls, and even saw a few people pointing openly at Zuko's scar, their conversations dropping to hushed murmurs as we passed. Irritation crept up in me, but Zuko either didn't notice, or didn't seem to be bothered.

Maybe he'd just learned to ignore it after all these years.

That thought also made me sad, and I took to shooting glares at the people who were staring too openly, and they generally cowered back once I fixed them with a look, shying away with furtive glances behind them as they turned back to whatever they were doing.

We found a cooking pot for Iroh eventually, and as Zuko paid for it, I looked around at the adjacent stalls, my small gasp escaping me as my eyes landed on a cart filled with various, colorful masks.

"Look," I murmured, tugging on Zuko's arm and pointing in the direction of the mask vendor, where rows of Blue and Green Spirit masks hung, swaying merrily in the slight breeze.

Zuko tensed slightly as he caught sight of them as well, and my brows furrowed in puzzlement a guilty expression appeared on his face, as if he was hiding something.

"I didn't realize they were so popular," I mused, mostly to myself.

"They're classic oni masks," Zuko replied, his voice indifferent, although I could hear a hint of something deeper hidden beneath the surface. "Although I'm surprised they sell them here."

"Why?" I asked, and Zuko flushed lightly, as if he'd been caught doing something wrong.

"Let's just say they've been given a bad name," he answered and I raised by eyebrows as I realized what he was talking about. It made sense, really. I couldn't imagine many people that would be want to be accidentally mistaken for masked vigilantes that were enemies of the Fire Nation.

"Apparently, ou-_their_ infamy hasn't reached Ba Sing Se," I said quietly, watching as a young boy handed the vendor a few gold coins and ran off with a blue oni mask clutched in his hands.

Zuko's hand moved unconsciously to his waist, and my eyes followed the motion, widening when I saw his hand resting on the hilt of a sword hanging from a pouch around his side.

"You got a new pair?" I asked, gesturing to the broadswords at his side. To my surprise, the same guilty expression appeared on his face again, his eyes shifting away from me.

"Yeah," he muttered, not elaborating. I reached behind me and fingered my own butterfly swords, which were strapped to my back. After the previous night's encounter, I'd decided to carry them with me whenever I left the house, in case I was ever in another situation like that, or, Koh forbid, Jet came after me again.

It was ironic, really, I thought as we walked back towards the apartment. Even in the great walled city, famed for its security and protection, I felt on guard, on edge, constantly watching over my shoulder. I still didn't feel safe.

Which begged the question, when would I ever?

* * *

Jet leaned against the corner of a wall, shrouded in darkness, watching through hooded eyes as civillians entered and exited the tea shop. He occasionally glanced around the corner to see if either Lee or Mushi had come out for any reason - the second they did, Jet swore, he would get them.

"Jet!"

The older Freedom Fighter started at the sudden voice behind him, twisting around to see Smellerbee and Longshot standing there with stoic expressions on their faces and their arms crossed over their chests. Jet's scowl deepened further, remembering their argument earlier that day.

"We need to talk," Smellerbee said, not improving Jet's mood. "We've been talking, and we think you're becoming obsessed with this." She gestured to the tea shop. "It's not healthy."

"Oh, really?" Jet raised a single eyebrow, as if the information was new and merely surprised him slightly. "You both think this?" He turned towards Longshot, every fiber of his body challenging the silent boy to make a move.

In response, Longshot met his gaze and calmly placed a hand on Smellerbee's shoulder.

"We came here to make a fresh start," Smellerbee continued earnestly. "But you won't let this go! Even though there's no real proof! There's even _counter_evidence and you still insist on pursuing it!"

"Well, maybe if you'd help me-" Jet began indignantly, but Smellerbee cut him off.

"Jet, you've got to stop this."

"Maybe you've forgotten _why_ we need to start over!" Jet exploded suddenly, causing Smellerbee and Longshot to take a startled step back. "Maybe you've forgotten about how the Fire Nation left us all homeless? How they wiped out all the people we loved?"

Smellerbee and Longshot looked away, unable to meet Jet's piercing gaze, but they didn't agree or say anything to retract their beliefs. Jet couldn't believe what he was hearing; after everything they'd been through together, they were just going walk away from the one thing the Freedom Fighters stood most for: helping take down the Fire Nation so others could live in peace. Just like that, they would abandon it all?

_You're just as destructive and hurtful as the Fire Nation!_ Aria's accusing voice suddenly rang in his ears. _And worse, you pretend you're doing it for the good of others, when you don't even really care about anyone other than yourself!_

Gripping his swords angrily and pushing her voice out of his head, Jet glared at the other two Freedom Fighters. Smellerbee and Longshot had been among the first in his group, and they were the only ones who agreed to go with him after he'd nearly flooded that village, alienating the Avatar and the rest of his clan.

"If you don't want to help me, then fine!" Jet growled. "I can get the evidence on my own."

Enough with lurking around in the shadows, waiting for them to make a false move. The firebenders were clever; they wouldn't reveal themselves so easily. But Jet was clever too.

"Jet, wait!" he heard Smellerbee cry, but he ignored her, storming towards the dimly lit tea shop at the end of the street.

* * *

"This is the best tea in the city!" one officer proclaimed later that night after he took a sip of Iroh's tea. The old man blushed slightly and waved off the comment, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

"The secret ingredient is _love_," he said dreamily, causing me to bite my lip to stop from laughing at the sappy expression on his face.

"Gross," Zuko muttered as I passed him, piling used teacups onto a tray. I actually did laugh that time.

"Here, I'll take that," I smiled at him, holding my hands out for the tray. A slightly surprised expression crossed his face, but he handed me the tray, mumbling out a quiet thanks. Biting back another grin, I headed towards the kitchen.

"I think you're due for a raise," I heard Pao say to Iroh as I walked through the swinging doors to the back room.

I was just emptying the teacups into the sink, filling the tub with soapy water, when I heard the loud crash of the front door swinging open. Cringing slightly at the noise, I rolled my eyes. Seriously, sometimes these minor officers were _so_ obnoxious, walking around like they were the head of the Dai Li or somethi-

"I'm tired of waiting. These two men are firebenders!"

The teacup in my hands dropped to the floor, shattering into a million pieces._  
_

_Oh, spirits, no._

Ignoring the mess on the floor, I dashed out of the kitchen and into the main shop, stopping short when I saw Jet standing in the entrance, his eyes narrowed with hatred and both hook swords gripped in either hand. He met my eyes and a cruel smirk lifted the corners of his mouth when he saw the expression of panic on my face.

"And this girl here is protecting them! She's a traitor!"

Iroh and Zuko exchanged looks that clearly conveyed disbelief, although I could see Zuko knuckles were white with how tightly he was gripping his tea tray. Iroh met my eyes, his face the perfect expression of bemusement, but the message in his sharp amber eyes was clear:

_Play dumb._

I quickly schooled my face into one of bewilderment as Jet swung his swords around threateningly sparks flying as the metal clanged when the swords scraped against each other.

"I know they're firebenders!" Jet cried. "I saw the old man heating his tea!"

The officer that had complimented Iroh exchanged a skeptical look with his comrade. "He works in a tea shop," he said.

"He's a firebender, I'm telling you!" Jet insisted. The officer's look hardened.

"Drop your swords, boy," he said, his voice growing disapproving. "Nice and easy." The officer and his comrade stood up, and he placed one hand on the sword case at his hip, but Jet merely scowled and swung his swords around angrily.

"You'll have to defend yourself," he hissed, walking towards Iroh and Zuko with this swords extended. "Then everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do."

Glancing furtively around at the alarmed and disbelieving looks on the patrons' faces, I began to relax a little as I saw how crazy Jet actually looked, attacking three simple refugees with no apparent provocation. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief; the officers would handle Jet, maybe we could all get out of this without any trouble-

"You want a show?" Zuko snarled, storming up to the officer and grabbing the sword out of his hilt before the other man could do so. "I'll give you a show!" Zuko separated the blades, and my eyes widened when I saw they were actually dual dao swords just like the ones he used.

"Lee!" I cried as Zuko took a defensive stance, glaring openly at Jet. "What are you doing?" I rushed out from behind the counter, but Iroh caught my arm and held me back, a warning look on his face.

"Stay out of this, _traitor_," Jet spat at me, his voice dripping with hatred. "This is between me and the firebender."

"You're out of your mind!" I yelled back at him. It was taking all my self control not to smash a rock through his stupid face. "I thought I warned you to leave us alone!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Iroh and Zuko turn to look at me in surprise, and I cringed internally. So much for not letting them know.

A moment of tense silence passed, and then Zuko hooked a table around one of his feet and kicked it towards Jet. The Freedom Fighter immediately smashed it in half with one of his swords and then leapt forward, swinging wildly. Zuko blocked his strike and jumped back onto a table to avoid Jet's blades.

Jet let out a snort of derision and cleaved the table in half again, causing Zuko to teeter precariously on both halves of the now collapsing wood before Jet swung at it again, destroying it all together. Thankfully, Zuko jumped up at the last second and slashed downwards at Jet's feet, causing him to flip backwards to avoid getting his feet chopped off.

Glaring angrily, Jet ran at Zuko again, swinging his swords forward as Zuko brought his forward and they clashed in a flurry of sparks.

The rest of us watched on in shock, and my muscles were so tense that they actually ached with the effort to not join the fight. Every fiber of my being was screaming at me to help Zuko, make sure Jet didn't hurt him and teach Jet a lesson once and for all, but Iroh's firm hand gripping my upper arm kept me in place.

I gasped involuntarily as Jet kicked a table ferociously towards Zuko, and it slammed into the scarred boy with so much force that it broke through the side wall of the tea shop, and Zuko tumbled into the street.

"No!" I cried, breaking out of Iroh's grasp and leaping through the hole. "Leave him alone!"

"Aria!" Iroh exclaimed, grabbing ahold of my wrist before I could sent a spike of earth ramming into Jet. "Stop." he said in a low voice as I struggled in vain. "This is his fight."

In the darkness, Zuko leapt up and brought his swords up in a cross in front of his chest just in time to stop Jet from slicing it through. "You must be getting tired of using those swords," Jet sneered. "Why don't you go ahead and firebend at me?"

"Please, son, you're confused!" Iroh called after him, playing the part of simple refugee perfectly. "You don't know what you're doing!"

Zuko let out a grunt of anger and began to push Jet backwards with his sheer strength. I watched in shock as Zuko seemed to grow stronger, his swings more matched and well-aimed; Jet had to work harder to dodge Zuko's swords, and it seemed like Zuko was pushing the Freedom Fighter back instead of the other way around.

Jet jumped back a few paces and began swinging his swords in circles above and below his head, approaching Zuko, who backed away slightly, his swords in a defensive position. "Bet you'd wish he'd help you out with a little fire blast right now," Jet grunted.

Zuko swung back and planted one of his swords in the ground, catching the tip of one of Jet's swords and holding it immobile. Jet's head snapped up and his eyes widened in an expression of shock.

"You're the one who needs help," Zuko growled. He let go of the sword on the ground, stepping forward and swinging his other sword in a wide arc, so perfectly executed that Jet had to lean back in panic to avoid getting his head sliced off. I watched with baited breath as Zuko's sword barely missed Jet's face, slicing the tip off that forsaken piece of wheat that always hung from Jet's mouth.

"Yeah! Go Lee!" I cheered, pumping my fist. I froze as I caught sight of Iroh's amused expression and the wide-eyed expressions of the other patrons who were watching. "I mean, be careful!" I amended quickly.

Zuko swung forward again, causing Jet to stumble slightly before he leapt up onto a well and pointed his remaining sword at Zuko angrily. "You see that?" he called out to the crowd that had begun to gather around the well. "The Fire is trying to silence me! It'll never happen!"

With a cry of anger, Jet kicked off the fountain and flew towards Zuko again, his feet outstretched. Zuko sidestepped and parried the sword that came swinging his way, causing Jet to fly off balance and somersault to the ground. Leaping to his feet immediately, Jet rushed at Zuko again but Zuko let out another angry cry and swung forward with his sword to block the attack.

The two traded blows for a while, neither seeming to gain the upper hand. Jet didn't seem to be able to damage Zuko at all, but I could see that the prince was getting tired - his feet were landing less steadily and his swings were slightly sloppier. I gripped Iroh's hand on my arm with my other hand in fear and anticipation.

The two fought back to back, spinning around in synchronization as they each tried to block each and land blows at the same time. They circled angrily, metal flashing and sparks flying in the usually sleepy center square.

"Drop your weapons!" I turned to my left to see three men dressed in Dai Li uniforms make their way through the crowd. The crowd seemed to part naturally for them, and I shivered at the aura of authority they exuded. Zuko and Jet stepped away from each other, and Zuko glared angrily at the Freedom Fighter as I clenched my fists behind him.

"Arrest them!" Jet called, pointing towards the three of us. "The two men are firebenders and the girl is harboring them!"

"This poor boy is confused," Iroh said in a placating voice that had just the right amount of concern. "My niece, nephew and I are just simple refugees."

"This young man wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees!" Pao cried indignantly behind him.

"It's true sir," the officer who had been in the tea shop added. "We saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city." Iroh ducked his head and smiled shyly.

"Oh, that's very sweet," he chucked, his cheeks pinking.

It had seemed like the Dai Li agents had heard enough. The walked up behind Jet, their postures tense but their eyes hidden behind the wide brimmed hats they wore. "Come with us, son," one of them said; I couldn't even tell which one had spoken.

In a flash of defiance, Jet swung his sword at them, but the Dai Li agent caught it easily in one rock gloved hand and they pinned Jet's hands behind his back in handcuffs of stone.

"You don't understand, they're Fire Nation!" Jet yelled as the Dai Li began to pull him away. "You have to believe me!"

Zuko, Iroh and I watched on in silence, our faces impassive, as the Dai Li dragged Jet into the darkness and out of sight, his furious cries slowly fading into silence as the curious crowd dispersed.

"I'm closing the tea shop for tonight," Pao announced, looking visibly shaken. "Mushi, I am so sorry about this incident, I hope this doesn't change your decision to stay..."

"Nonsense, Pao," Iroh cut him off. "This is none of your fault. I think my family and I are going to head home for the night though, if that is all right with you."

"Yes, yes, of course!" Pao said hurriedly. "You may have the day off tomorrow!"

"Thank you, you are very kind," Iroh smiled at him. "Come, Aria, Lee, let's go."

Iroh put a hand on both of our shoulders and steered us away as if we were rabbit-kittens who had been naughty. The walk back to the apartment was filled with tense, slightly uncomfortable silence as we each stewed in our own different emotions. However, the minute we stepped into the apartment and Iroh closed the door behind us, the emotions came to a boil.

"What were you _thinking_?!" I rounded on Zuko, my eyes blazing. "Why on earth would you attack him like that?" Zuko blinked at me, his mouth falling open with shock.

"He was going to attack us!" he countered defensively. "I was just trying to defend myself!"

"Oh yes, because chucking a table at someone unprovoked is completely in the name of self defense," I snorted.

"Unprovoked?!" Zuko sputtered. "He came at me swinging his swords! Why are you even defending him? Aren't you happy he's gone now?"

"Of course I'm happy he's gone!" I cried. "But you didn't have your," my voice dropped before continuing, "firebending, what if you couldn't... what if he'd..." I trailed off, flushing slightly and looking away, unable to put into words the panic I'd felt.

Zuko looked surprised for a second, but then the scowl reappeared on his face. "I can take care of myself just fine!" he insisted.

"I think the bigger question is why he did not suspect you of being a firebender," Iroh broke in, a serious expression on his face. My stomach dropped and my face flushed further at his question. "Kioni?"

"You _told_ him?" Zuko choked out, looking stunned and appalled and betrayed in one horrifying expression that turned my blood into ice.

"No!" I cried desperately. "I would never do that! I promise, I didn't... I didn't tell him about _you._" I finished shakily, avoiding Iroh's and Zuko's gazes.

"But you told him about yourself," Iroh inferred and Zuko's face shifted into an expression of confusion. I bit my lip and nodded, looking down. "Why?"

"Last night, when I went to get the spark rocks," I started to explain, still looking down. "He cornered me and tried to get information out of me. I didn't say anything, but then he attacked and... I didn't have a choice. I'm sorry."

Silence filled the air after my confession, and after a few seconds I chanced a look upwards. Iroh's face was impassive, but his brows were drawn and Zuko looked shocked, and then angry.

"He attacked you?" Iroh said in a low voice. I nodded. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want to worry you," I mumbled. "I got rid of him easily using my earthbending, and I hoped he would guess that you two were earthbenders too, but I guess I wasn't convincing enough in my denial. Everything was just starting to go so well, I didn't want to ruin it."

* * *

Zuko's uncle stood suddenly, walking over to Kioni and enveloping her in a hug. She stiffened for a moment, her eyes going wide, but then they slid shut and she relaxed into the embrace, trembling slightly.

Zuko was still clenching his fists, struggling to gain control of the fury that had swept through him when he thought of Jet cornering Kioni, attacking her, accusing her of everything she _wasn't_. If he hadn't come after them and been arrested, Zuko would have gone after him right then and probably would have given them away, because he wanted nothing more than to blast that smirk off of Jet's face.

"Your safety is more important," Iroh was saying to Kioni now, staring at her seriously. "Don't minimize that, Kioni, _ever_." Kioni nodded once, still looking miserable, and Zuko was reminded of the time after she had healed Iroh using her own energy and nearly sacrificed herself.

"I'm going to head to bed," Kioni mumbled, looking exhausted. Her green eyes drooped slightly and her hair was nearly coming out of its ponytail. Iroh squeezed her arm reassuringly and she smiled weakly at him. She cast a worried look in Zuko's direction before she disappeared to the sliding doors.

"Are you alright, nephew?" Iroh asked, turning back towards him. "You look angry."

"I don't understand," Zuko hissed under his breath. "Why didn't she tell someone? Why does she always feel the need to protect me? I don't need anyone's protection, especially not hers."

"That's just who she is, Prince Zuko," Iroh murmured, using his real name for the first time since they'd arrived. He cast a thoughtful glance towards the bedroom where Kioni lay.

Later that night, as he was settling down to sleep, Zuko thought about that night on the mountain, where Kioni had screamed that she tried to protect him because she cared. He thought of the shock, rage, and biting fear he'd felt when he imagined Jet, or Admiral Zhao, or _anyone_ coming after her and hurting her.

Zuko didn't quite understand _why_ she always tried to protect him, but he was beginning to realize that maybe he felt the same way.

* * *

**What time is it? SUMMERTIME! **

**I'm finally done with school, yaaay! So this means updates should come waaaaay more frequently. :) Hopefully I can even get the next chapter up by this weekend; let's cross our fingers! **

**So, what did you think of this chapter? Now both Kioni and Zuko have had a chance to kick Jet's butt hehe. But he's a jerk, so he deserves it. PLEASE REVIEW! **

**Next up: The Tales of Ba Sing Se - The Tale of Iroh.**


	28. The Tale of Iroh

One morning, about two weeks after we'd come to Ba Sing Se, I woke up, as usual, as the only one in the tiny bedroom. Both Iroh and Zuko possessed the strangest affinity for rising at the crack of dawn, something about "firebenders rising with the sun." Whatever it was, it was crazy.

However, after I'd washed my face and gotten dressed, I slid open the door to be met with an unusual sight: an empty kitchen.

Frowning, I poked my head back in the bedroom to see if I'd maybe missed Zuko's form under the blankets, but there was definitely nobody in there. I walked towards the table, the smell of tea hitting my nostrils as I approached. I glanced over at the teapot on the table, which was steaming lightly and had a small note stuck to it with words written in Iroh's neat print.

"'Dear Aria and Lee,'" I read aloud. "'I am going on a picnic and won't be back until past sundown. There are hot oats and jasmine tea on the stove. There is no work at the tea shop today, so you two will have to amuse yourselves. Please do not set the house on fire. Love, Uncle Mushi.'"

I laughed slightly at the double meaning in the last sentence before setting the note aside and helping myself to a generous portion of hot oats and a cup of jasmine tea. I sat down at the table, pouring some sugar on my oats and was just about to chow down when Zuko walked in.

"Where have you been?" I asked suspiciously.

"On the roof," he answered, brushing past me to scoop some oats into his own bowl.

"The roof?" I raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"It's a good place to think," Zuko said somewhat defensively and I smirked slightly.

"To _think_?" I repeated, waggling my eyebrows. "To ponder life's mysteries and think about our place in the universe?"

"Shut up," Zuko scowled, rolling his eyes at me as he shoveled food into his mouth. I merely grinned in response.

"Did you see Uncle leaving?" I asked. Zuko stopped eating and looked at me in surprise.

"No," he replied. "Where did he go?"

"Dunno, he left this note," I said, pushing the sheet of paper across the table. Zuko picked it up and read it, his brow furrowing deeper as his eyes scanned the paper.

"He's gone for the whole _day_?" Zuko cried incredulously. "What are we supposed to do for a whole day?"

"Why is he going on a picnic?" I asked curiously, looking at the paper again as if it held all the secrets of Iroh's mind. "Is it a special occasion or something?"

Suddenly, Zuko's spoon dropped into his bowl with a loud _clang!_ Startled, I glanced up, freezing as I caught side of his face, which had gone very pale, his eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

"What?" I asked hurriedly, glancing over my shoulder. "What happened?"

"What's the date?" Zuko asked hoarsely. I told him, and his eyes only widened further before his head dropped into his hands.

"What's going on? What's wrong?" I demanded, startled by Zuko's change of mood.

"I'm such an idiot," Zuko mumbled into his hands. "Agni, I can't believe..."

"Will you please tell me what's going on?" I asked crossly. My frustration dissipated when Zuko lifted his head and looked at me, his golden eyes and face more somber than I had ever seen them.

"It's my cousin Lu Ten's birthday today," he said softly. My brow furrowed in confusion as I tried to understand, then my eyes widened suddenly with realization.

Zuko's cousin. Iroh's son.

Iroh's _dead_ son.

"Oh, spirits," I murmured, my voice soft. "Oh, no, Iroh..."

"He would have been twenty five," Zuko sighed, his voice heavy with sadness. I sat back, unsure what to say. It was rare to see Zuko express any emotion except anger, but he looked so forlorn then, my heart reached out to him. "Agni, I can't believe I forgot... and we're in Ba Sing Se too."

My heart dropped as I realized the full weight of his words. On his son's birthday, Iroh was in the place that he'd been killed six years earlier. It would have been the first time he'd been in Ba Sing Se since his son's death.

"Do you think Iroh would...?" I trailed off uncertainly, not sure if we should go look for him.

"I think he'd rather be alone," Zuko said, once again displaying an uncanny insight into his uncle's thoughts. He didn't quite look at me, still immersed deeply in his thoughts.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ventured quietly, not knowing what to say. Zuko looked up at me, his eyes wide with disbelief, and I prepared myself for the onslaught of scorn and aggression that was sure to come.

"I don't remember that much about him," Zuko mumbled after a minute, to my intense surprise. He glanced down at the table, appearing to be talking to the wood, which I was thankful for because it gave me a minute to regain control of my expression.

"He left for the Royal Training Academy when I was seven," Zuko continued, still talking to his bowl of oats. Mine had been pushed aside, long forgotten along with my previous hunger. "I don't remember much except the vacations our family used to take on Ember Island when I was really young... I remember playing in the sand with Lu Ten and Uncle and how he would always let me put the flag on top."

Zuko's voice sounded so wistful, I felt myself leaning forward, captivated by the faraway look in his eyes. Dozens of emotions were coursing through me - shock and disbelief that Zuko seemed so different from his usual angry self, sadness for him and Iroh and Lu Ten's death, and a strange feeling of connection and empathy.

"He was more of a sibling to me than Azula ever was," Zuko said bitterly, running his fingers through his hair. To my surprise, it had gotten so long that he was actually able to run his fingers through it. I stared at it for a second, recalling briefly the days of his ponytail and how that seemed so long ago. There was no way Ponytail Zuko would have sat and had this conversation with me.

"Zuko, I'm so sorry," I murmured, reaching over the table and placing a hand on top of his gently. He tensed for a moment, but didn't pull away.

"Agni, I found out from a _letter_," Zuko sighed again and my heart sank further. "A letter telling us that Lu Ten was dead and Uncle had given up the siege on Ba Sing Se and was nowhere to be found."

"I know how _that_ feels," I muttered, now looking down at the table as well. I saw Zuko look up in surprise, his gaze questioning.

"My parents were missionaries," I sighed. Apparently it was Share Our Past Day in our little mismatched home. "They traveled around the Earth Kingdom delivering food and supplies to the colonies nearby that had been hurt or ruined, so they weren't around much, but I was so proud of them. I was proud that they were helping people, that they were using their time and energy for good to help fix the damage caused by the Fire Nation. They were my heroes."

Zuko looked slightly guilty when I mentioned the Fire Nation, but he asked, "What happened to them?"

I shrugged, trying to mask how affected I actually was. "One day, they just never came back," I said simply, as if it could be as simple as that. "We got the letter three months later, saying the village they'd been in was burned entirely to the ground."

Zuko was quiet, but he flipped the hand under mine over so our palms rested together atop the table.

"I used to hate the Fire Nation so much," I continued quietly, lost in thought and half-talking to myself. "I used to... spirits, I used to be like _Jet_." Shame rose up inside me as I considered that possibility; it was my greatest fear - to be so consumed with anger that I lost sight of who I really was.

"You're nothing like Jet," Zuko said with a fierceness that caused me to look up in mild surprise. His golden eyes blazed with emotion and his face was set with such determination that I leaned back slightly.

"I know," I sighed after a second. "Hating people takes a lot of energy," I said, meeting his eye and smiling wryly. Zuko's shoulders sagged forward slightly, as if a weight had been lifted all of them.

It was strange, because technically speaking Zuko and I were on opposite sides of the war. He was Fire Nation, and I was Earth Kingdom, and by the natural order of things, we should have clashed. But inside our apartment, at this table, under the guise of Aria and Lee the poor refugees, there was no war. There was no Earth Kingdom versus Fire Nation, it was just Kioni and Zuko.

Just two people talking and sharing as equals, as _friends._

"That letter changed my life forever," I murmured, remembering the terrible expression of grief on Bumi's face as he'd kneeled down, looked me in the eye and told me that he was so sorry, that he would love me and take care of me and he promised nothing would ever happen to me, but that my parents would not be coming home.

"Yeah," Zuko agreed, leaning back in his chair. "Our family was happy before Lu Ten died... or at least I _thought_ it was happy, happy _enough_. But after that, after Uncle abandoned his siege and disappeared for months... everything went downhill."

I frowned slightly at the guarded look on Zuko's face, at the way he drew himself inwards and set his mouth as if he'd decided he'd said too much. "What do you mean?" I asked, leaning forward.

Zuko shrunk further into himself, his face very obviously closing off. "Zuko," I said softly, putting my hand over his again and meeting his eyes, shocked to see them sparkling slightly. "You can trust me."

He seemed to deliberate for a minute, keeping his eyes trained on me. He looked so vulnerable, so _afraid_ in that moment that my heart reached out to him completely, and to my gratitude, his face softened.

"My father," Zuko sighed, his tone growing bitter once more. "After Iroh disappeared, he tried to possession of the throne. My father always resented being the second born, perpetually the Crown Prince but never the Fire Lord. I think that's why he favors Azula over me. He said she was born lucky; he said I was lucky to be born."

Shock and anger shot through me. How could a father say something so horrible to his own son? Then again, I already knew how awful Fire Lord Ozai could be, so I'm not sure why this surprised me.

"One day, he brought me and Azula and my mother for a meeting with my grandfather," Zuko continued. "After the meeting, I wanted to leave, but Azula pulled me back to listen. He urged Azulon to revoke Iroh's birthright and grant him the throne. Understandably, Azulon was furious."

Zuko paused for a minute, lost in painful memories, but I didn't say anything, letting the silence fill the air until he was ready to continue.

"I left after that, but Azula stayed," he said finally. "Later that night, when I was about to sleep, Azula came into my room. She was so gleeful, and she said... she said as my father's punishment he would have to suffer the pain... of losing his firstborn."

I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my mouth, but Zuko didn't seem to hear me.

"I didn't believe her," he continued, clenching his fists above the table. "Azula _always_ lies. But that night, my mother came into my room and told me that she loved me, that everything she had done she had done to protect me... and to never forget who I was.

I was so confused. I didn't understand, and I went back to sleep. But the next morning..." Zuko trailed off, his voice full of pain and the demons from the past that haunted him. "The next morning, my grandfather was dead, my father was Fire Lord, and my mother was gone."

My mouth had fallen in open in utter shock and horror at Zuko's story. I was incapable of any speech, and could only sit there with that stupid expression on my face as I tried to process how this amount of cruelty was humanly possible in a family.

"You don't think..." I trailed off, unable to finish the unspoken question.

"I didn't know what to believe!" Zuko thumped his fists on the table, a frustrated note becoming clear in his voice. "I still don't. The official story was that Fire Lady Ursa had died of grief and shock, but that can't be true. She never cared for my grandfather. There was never any body, and the ceremony was a closed casket with only me, Azula, my father and a few Fire Sages."

I didn't know what to say. I could only sit there and try to comprehend the immense pain in Zuko's life, pain that was clearly reflected in his vulnerable expression in that moment.

It occurred to me that Zuko's mother was the only person of the Royal Family that I had never heard about before. I guess I'd always assumed she was just sort of there in the background, watching silently as her husband wreaked havoc on the world. But that she had presumedly sacrificed so much, lost everything to protect her son...

"I never wanted any of this!" Zuko cried suddenly, his voice full of pain and anger. He sat upright, causing me to start slightly at the fire blazing in his eyes once more. "I never wanted to chase the Avatar, I never wanted to go to Ba Sing Se, to be a _refugee_ _from my own nation_ for Agni's sake. All I want is for my father not to think I'm worthless. All I want is to go _home_."

His voice broke on the last word, and he dropped his head into his hands. I sat there in shock, and I knew nothing I could possibly say or no amount of apologies or sympathy could make anything better. My heart ached with sympathy and sadness for him, but it frustrated me and made me even sadder that I could do absolutely nothing to help him.

I felt like I understood Zuko more than I ever had before, but I couldn't do anything about it, so I just sat there, watching silently as Zuko grappled with his emotions.

"You know what we should do?" I said suddenly, an idea coming to mind. Zuko glanced up, his eyes mouth set in a hard frown, as if he'd just been jerked out of his painful reliving of memories. Which was the point, to get him to think about something else. "We should spar."

"We can't bend," he deadpanned, glaring slightly.

"With our swords, genius," I replied snarkily on impulse before realizing the moment had been too serious for that. Thankfully, he seemed to let it slide, and I plowed on. "Come on, it'll take your mind - both of our minds actually - off this."

Zuko glanced at me for a moment before his face fell back into its surly expression. "Maybe I don't want to take my mind off this."

I stood, pushing my chair in behind me and walked over to his side of the table. As he glanced up sullenly once more, I held out my hand to him and met his eyes, silently begging him to take it.

"Zuko," I said, my voice soft but firm. "Come on."

I held his gaze for an infinitesimal moment, and then he sighed and placed his hand in mine.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, we stood on opposite sides of an empty clearing behind the apartment complex with our swords drawn. I'd changed into the clothes I'd worn while traveling to Ba Sing Se, because while they were not as fashionable, they were certainly more practical for fighting than my puffy-sleeved blouse and skirt.

"Remember the rules," I called across to Zuko. "No bending, no knockouts, and if you get blood on my clothes, I _will_ cut you."

Zuko's eyes widened in protest. "I'm not going make you bl-!"

"Relax, hothead, I'm just joking," I cut him off, grinning slightly. "Friendly spar, remember?"

"Right," Zuko rolled his eyes, shifting into stance. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

"I'd say the same thing, but I think you ought to worry," I shot back. One side of Zuko's mouth twitched slightly and we stared at each other for a moment, analyzing the situation, before Zuko drew his swords back and charged towards me.

I slipped into a crouch, my muscles tensed as he ran closer, and then flipped sideways as he swung his swords forward. I felt the _whoosh_ of the blade as it swung under my back, and landed nimbly on my feet a few yards away.

I bit back a smirk as Zuko whirled around, his eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed again in concentration. He began to circle me, and I followed his movements closely, watching his every move. His eyes broke away from mine suddenly, glancing up and to the left, and instinctively I followed his gaze, realizing my mistake too late as he rushed at me, swords flashing.

I swung my swords upwards just in time, blocking his attack and pushing him back. My foot slipped slightly as he pushed back against me, his strength obviously overpowering mine. Trying a different tactic, I feinted to the right and then twisted left as he twitched right, ducking around him and backing up quickly.

Zuko was quick, however, and he whirled around before I could properly regain my balance, stepping forward and swinging at me. I was forced to take a defensive position, blocking his swords with my own and was unable to land any offensive attacks. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I gritted my teeth in concentration, bringing my swords in a wide arc to clash against his in a flurry of sparks.

I continued to back up as Zuko pressed forward, swinging with sharp, precise strokes, until my back landed against one of the walls of the clearing. Grinning triumphantly, Zuko brought his swords forward to press against my chest in an X, but I blocked him with an X of my own. I glared up at him, my chest rising and falling, as we pushed our swords against each other.

"Looks like I win," he smirked, smugness practically radiating off his body as he pushed me further into the wall.

"You know, Iroh taught me a very important lesson once," I replied conversationally, keeping my tone light. Zuko frowned slightly, confused, and I smirked internally. "With a poor stance, you are unbalanced..." I continued, imitating Iroh's voice, "...and you can be easily knocked over."

With one swift move, I stopped pushing against Zuko and dropped down, sending him stumbling forward. As I pushed off the wall with the hilts of my swords and slid through his spread legs, I caught his ankle against the hilt of one sword, sending him tumbling sideways as I skidded across the arena on my knees. I stood, brushing my pants off and laughed as Zuko struggled to his feet, grumbling angrily and picking up his swords.

"Oh, you are _so_ going down," he growled at me, but his eyes sparkled with amusement. Or was I just imagining it?

I stuck my tongue out at him impishly. "Come and get me."

Zuko ran at me, swinging his swords in wide arcs above his head and at his torso, and I sidestepped again, feeling the heat from his body as I twisted around his side and jabbed at the other side. He spun, blocking my attack with one sword and bringing the other one swinging down. Blocking the attack with my other sword, I used the leverage to push up and flip over Zuko's head, landing behind him before I swung at him again.

He blocked with one sword and swung with another, and I was shocked to see a slight grin on his face as we circled each other, slashing, parrying and blocking, and was even more shocked to feel a similar grin spread across mine. I felt strangely lighthearted, even letting out a giddy laugh as I dodged Zuko's strike, ducking to the left and swinging forward only to have him sidestep out of the way.

I saw an opportunity as Zuko ran forward at me again with one sword drawn back, and as he swung at my midsection, I dropped into a lunge. Stepping forward and bringing one sword above my head to catch his, I swept under his outsretched arm and emerged behind him. The sword I had caught against mine moved, causing Zuko to twist up and around as I pulled the sword up with his arm until he was forced to lean backwards with the sword above his head.

Eyes wide, Zuko swung his other sword around to the side, but I caught the blade against the hilt of mine and pulled it upwards as well, so that Zuko stood in front of me, bending backwards with both swords above his head as I leaned down over him, my blades pressed against his.

"Gotcha," I whispered, grinning, as satisfied emerald eyes met stunned golden ones.

Time seemed to slow down as I gazed into Zuko's eyes at his bewildered expression, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar, and I felt the air whoosh out of my lungs as the smug expression slid off my face. Our faces were only inches apart and I became hypersensitive of every detail - the brown flecks in his golden eyes, the heat that constantly radiated off of him and the smell of smoke and sandalwood that filled the air. Had I not been so transfixed, I would have noticed Zuko's eyes flick downwards to my mouth.

And in that moment, I realized I wanted nothing more than to lean down and kiss him.

The realization shocked me so much that I stepped back, taking the pressure off Zuko and causing him to fall backwards with a startled yelp. I didn't even hear the _thump_ as he landed on the ground; I stared into space, my mind reeling.

"Ow," Zuko groaned from the ground, staring up at me ruefully. He stood up, rubbing his backside and frowned. "What was that for?"

"Sorry," I muttered, unable to meet his eye. "I thought it was time to end it."

"Yeah, probably," Zuko replied sheepishly, rubbing his head now. "I'll get you next time, though."

"Y-yeah," I stammered, my cheeks starting to heat up despite myself. Oh, spirits, I had to get out of there. "U-um, I'm gonna... go for a quick walk. I'll meet you back at the apartment."

"What?" Zuko asked, surprised, but I had already started to hurry away. "Hey! Kioni, wait!"

I dashed around the corner and down the street, ducking into a back alleyway and glancing back out to make sure Zuko hadn't followed me. Once I'd determined I was alone, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes, trying desperately to regain control of my erratic breathing and pounding heart and will down the blush rising in my cheeks.

_Get a grip, Kioni_, I told myself sternly.

But my traitorous mind decided it would not listen, and I flashed back to the memory of that night on the mountain: Zuko's strong hands clutching my waist and pulling me close against his body, his burning fingers sending sparks rushing across every inch of me as they dug into my rain-soaked skin, his lips forceful but soft against mine, moving with a desperate passion that made my head spin, and the overwhelming feeling of safe safe safe and so, so _right_. My stomach fluttered happily and the blush rose higher against my face.

Oh, spirits, this was not good. I dropped my head into my hands and let out a groan.

This was really, really, really _not_ good.

* * *

**So, "The Tale of Iroh" is kind of a misnomer, since Iroh wasn't even in this chapter, but its basically what happened during the Tale of Iroh. ****Ooh la la, things are heating up. *rubs hands together and cackles evilly***

**Each Tale of Ba Sing Se is going to get its own chapter, and they might be a bit shorter, but I also should be able to publish them faster. Hehe, both Zuko and Kioni have come to their own little realizations... what will happen next? This was definitely a key chapter in terms of the relationship, both in subtle and obvious ways.**

**Review please! Guess what you think will happen next, tell me how you liked the chapter, any improvements I can make, etc etc.**

**Next up: The Tale of Kioni.**


	29. The Tale of Kioni

_I was walking down a long hallway that was covered in red and gold, from the scarlet carpeting the floor to the golden trimmed hangings draped across the walls, and I had no idea where I was. Confused, I continued down the hall, looking around, until I passed a series of portraits - all of men with severe faces, ink black hair, and shockingly familiar yellow eyes._

_Was I in... the Fire Nation imperial palace?_

_Just then, I noticed my own attire, letting out a quiet gasp of shock as I looked down. I was dressed in long red robes, with intricate patterns and heavy embellishment, not to mention sleeves that were entirely too long for my arms, and judging by the pinching of my toes, high heeled shoes. I passed a window and caught my reflection, blinking a few times before I could even recognize myself._

_My hair was done up in small bun, with the rest of it flowing down my back like a cascade. Atop the bun rested... a crown? No, it couldn't be, it looked like a flame. With a jolt, I spun around to see a similar headpiece on the heads of the portraits of Fire Lords looming above me. My stomach dropped and my palms began to sweat._

_What in Hei Ba's name was going on here?!_

_Feeling suddenly faint, I hurried down the hall, looking for a washroom. Unused to wearing these shoes, I tottered slightly as I ran and had to pick up the hem of my dress to avoid tripping over it. In my desperate haste, I burst frantically through the first door I saw, only to stop as I saw a young man sitting at a desk with his head bowed, reading over some paperwork._

_"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just-" I rambled, stopping short as the man looked up in surprise. A huge wave of relief crashed over me as I saw those shining golden eyes and familiar scar. "Zuko," I breathed instinctively._

_However, as I took a second look, this Zuko looked nothing like the Zuko I knew. His hair was tied up in a topknot with the same flame crown piece and he too was dressed in heavy red robes. He looked older and more tired, but his face split into a wide smile when he saw me._

_"Well, hi there," he grinned, looking as relieved to see me as I was to see him, but for different reasons. He gestured for me to come over, and I did, my feet moving of their own accord. Once I was close enough, he grabbed my hand and tugged me forward until I fell onto his lap with a startled squeak. A blush started to rise in my face as he wound his arms around my waist, holding me against him._

_I glanced up to see his golden eyes smoldering into mine, a slight smile curving his mouth, before his hands trailed upwards to cup my face, pulling it down to meet his. Despite my confusion, I melted into the kiss, my head spinning with the scent of smoke and sandalwood and warmth of the hands that stroked gently across my cheekbones._

_Zuko pulled back from the kiss, his eyes sparkling with happiness, and it took me a second to remember where I was and what I was going to say beforehand. Right, Fire Nation palace. I opened my mouth to inquire, but-_

_"What's with your hair?" I mentally smacked myself as the question spilled out of my mouth, no doubt brought on by the serious dip in my IQ after Zuko had kissed me. However, he didn't seem to be confused by the question, instead chuckling and rubbing the top of his head._

_"I know, they won't let me wear it down even when I'm just sitting here," he said ruefully. "Something about 'a Fire Lord maintaining his image'. I mean, I'm just looking over some trade reports, not meeting with the Earth King." He smiled at me, but my brain had zoned out about a sentence back._

_"Fire... Lord?" I asked weakly._

_"Are you alright, honey?" Zuko questioned, frowning slightly. He brought a hand up to rest on my forehead, and I flinched away slightly, my mind churning. Honey?! "You look kind of pale."_

_"I... I just..." I stammered, unable to speak. Looking even more worried, Zuko eased me off his lap and stood up, pulling me with him by the hand._

_"You don't look well at all," he said. "Maybe a walk in the gardens will get you some fresh air."_

_"I'm fine," I blurted, finally finding my voice. "I think... I think I'll go lie down for a while though." The room had suddenly become stifling in its heat._

_"All right," Zuko said doubtfully, still looking worried. "If there's anything you need, let me know, okay? Seriously, anything for my Fire La-"_

_There was a whoosh and a thunk and Zuko choked off the rest of his sentence, his eyes going wide. Time seemed to slow as Zuko met my eyes - wide, confused, and scared - and then we both glanced down at the arrow protruding from his ribcage._

_"Zuko!" I screamed as he stumbled forward, catching him in my arms. Carefully, I laid him down on the ground, my heart beating frantically. "No, Zuko, don't-!" But it was too late, and as he pulled out the shaft of the arrow, dark blood started to spread across his chest, looking black against the red fabric of his robes._

_"K-Kioni," Zuko rasped, reaching upwards for me as I shouted for help. His hand came into contact with my jaw and I turned, panicking even more at the faraway look in his eyes. "I... I lo-"_

_"No, no, no!" I cried, cutting him off. "No, Zuko, you can't do this, no!"_

_"You could save him," the dreaded voice boomed and my blood ran cold with fear. "If you knew how."_

_"Stop it!" I howled, clamping my hands over my ears, but the phrase resonated in my head. "I can't! I_ _don't know how!"_

_"Then he will die," the voice droned, drowning out every other noise._

_"Please," I begged, tears falling down my face as Zuko's chest rose and fell with labor. "Please don't, please, I'll do anything!"_

_Zuko's eyes snapped open, but instead of the warm gold they had been, they were now red - blood red. The entire room began to be overtaken by blood red color, until it swarmed over everything, tinting my vision and making it hard to breathe. It swirled closer, nearly engulfing me entirely and then - and then it closed in._

I jerked upright with a gasp, one hand over my heart as I panted heavily, my mind still racing with my nightmare. Once I realized I was still in my bed in our apartment in Ba Sing Se, I flopped back down with an aggravated groan.

The nightmares had become more and more frequent - nearly every night now, and they were always the same thing. Some horrific injury, someone I cared about, and me being helpless to do anything but watch. Recently however, the dreams had been predominantly featuring a certain scarred firebender.

I covered my face with my hands as I blushed, remembering the lightheaded feeling as dream Zuko's lips moved against mine with such sweetness it made my heart ache.

_It wasn't real_, I had to remind myself, but that didn't stop my stomach from fluttering happily. This was utterly ridiculous. I didn't _like_ Zuko... did I?

_Are you really that stupid?_ the same, Toph-sounding voice spoke in my head again, causing me to roll my eyes in annoyance. Here we go again.

"I don't," I whispered, not even realizing I was talking aloud. "It's just some... temporary insanity." It wasn't abnormal, I mean Zuko wasn't unattractive and I hadn't really been around any other boys for a while, so... it was only natural to develop a slight infatuation. Right?

_You giggled for two minutes straight yesterday because he made a joke about rice,_ the voice deadpanned and I cringed, remembering that particularly embarrassing display. The joke hadn't even been funny.

"That... doesn't mean anything," I protested weakly, but even I couldn't kid myself. Every time Zuko and I had been alone for the past few days, I'd become a blubbering, clumsy idiot. It was downright mortifying. It didn't make any sense - ever since Lu Ten's birthday, I'd become flustered around him, and why? Because I'd suddenly developed feelings for him?

_Oh, honey,_ the voice said again, sounding heavily amused. _The feelings were there all along, you just didn't realize them until now._

Sighing with frustration, I pushed the thoughts and feelings that I couldn't control out of my mind and decided to focus on something that I could (well, kind of) control - my chi healing. Clearly, the frequent nightmares were trying to tell me something about my abilities that I didn't know yet.

I squirmed upright and reached over to my bedside table, rummaging through the junk there until I found the small pouch of herbs from the Spirit Oasis tree Pakku had given me. They were supposed to have some special healing powers, and I was saving them for an important time, but just then it occurred to me that as powerful as these herbs may be, there were only enough for a one-time use.

I pulled open the drawstring and reached into the pouch, pulling out the rolled up piece of paper Ojha had given me back in the Misty Palms Oasis. As I smoothed the paper across my knees, I could make out the address in the moonlight streaming through the window.

I had to go see this healer. I had to find out what my abilities were and what I was supposed to do with them.

Resolving to go find her in the morning, I put the paper and the pouch back on the nightstand and settled back down, hoping to catch a few more hours of sleep. Hopefully, after tomorrow, the horrifying nightmares would stop and I could finally sleep peacefully, without dreams.

My mind floated back to the dream of Zuko holding me close against him, his hands softly cupping my cheeks as he kissed me. _Well, _I thought, blushing and feeling traitorous for even thinking it. _I suppose it wouldn't be too bad if those dreams stayed._

_Oh, girl, you have got it bad,_ the voice chuckled and I squeezed my eyes shut, flipping over and groaning as I buried my face in my pillow.

* * *

"I'm going out," I announced the next morning as I walked into the kitchen, fully dressed and with my pack slung over my shoulder. Iroh glanced up from his tea kettle and Zuko from his bowl of oats, confusion evident on both of their faces.

"Out?" Zuko asked suspiciously as I grabbed an apple and two small bread rolls from the basket on the counter and put them in my bag.

"Mhm," I replied, opening the drawer where we kept our money and putting a few gold coins into my coin purse. "I probably won't be back until late."

"Where are you going, dear?" Iroh asked as Zuko frowned.

"To find the healer Ojha told me about," I answered, my back still turned to them. "She said this woman would help me figure out what's going on with my chi healing."

"Are you still having nightmares?" Zuko asked, his voice unusually soft. I flinched involuntarily.

"Yeah," I muttered in reply.

"You're having nightmares?" Iroh asked, sounding surprised.

"The tea I've been making doesn't help?" Zuko asked, looking slightly disappointed. I gave a noncommittal shrug.

"You've been making her tea?" Iroh asked again, glancing between the two of us.

"Hopefully going to see her will help," I sighed, tightening my pack.

"Have I been missing something?" Iroh asked, looking slightly put out at being ignored. "What else have you two been doing when I'm asleep?"

"We haven't been doing anything, Uncle," I said over Zuko's red faced sputterings. "I'll see you guys later."

"Be careful!" Iroh called after me. "Don't come back too late! Don't talk to strange people! Well, unless you think they can help you."

"I'll be fine!" I called back as I closed the door behind me and strated to walk into town.

* * *

It took me a while to find the address, mostly because it was hidden away in a remote corner of the Lower Ring, right up against the Inner Wall. I stood for a second outside the home, which looked so different from the surrounding areas, mostly because it was completely overrun with plants. Vines crept up the walls and roof of the hut, trees hung on all edges, draping over the roof to create a makeshift canopy, and the garden in the front ran wild. However, despite the sense of utter disorganization, the place was strangely beautiful.

I glanced at the address again to make sure I had the right place, and then walked up to the door, took a deep breath and knocked twice.

After a few moments, the door opened and a young woman, probably a few years older than me, peeked her head out. Her hair was piled on top of her head and then tied back with a colorful headscarf, and she wore a long, flowing dress that looked uncannily like the ones the hippies who escorted us through the Cave of Two Lovers wore. The woman gave me a once over and then looked me in the eye, her eyebrows raised.

"Um, hi," I said, raising my hand in greeting. "I'm here to see..." I glanced down at the paper in my hand, "... Penye?"

"Master Penye does not often have visitors," the woman said, opening the door more so she could lean against the frame. Her eyes raked over my clothing and I squirmed self consciously at her appraising stare.

"Um... Oj- sorry, Master Ojha sent me," I tried to explain. "She said Master Penye would be able to help me with chi healing." The woman's eyebrows rose even higher and a small snort escaped her.

"You?" she asked disbelievingly. "And what do you know about chi healing?"

"I can... do it?" I said weakly, feeling more awkward by the second. The woman opened her mouth again, to scorn me, no doubt, when another voice interrupted here.

"Jani, what's going on? Are those blasted Dai Li agents back again? You can tell them if they want my help, they can stop brainwashing my pupils!"

"Brainwashing?" I mouthed to myself, my eyes wide with shock that someone could talk to callously about the Dai Li. The woman, Jani, rolled her eyes discreetly before turning back inside.

"There's a girl here who claims to be a chi healer," she said, the skepticism in her voice palpable. "She says she was sent by someone called Master Ojha."

There was a pause before the voice answered. "What color are her eyes?"

My brows furrowed and Jani turned back to look at me, her face also surprised. "Green," she answered back cautiously. "A deep green, like emeralds."

Another pause. And then, "Bring her in."

Jani pursed her lips before opened the door even wider and gesturing me inside. I stepped through the doorway, my nose instantly being assaulted with the strong smell of herbs and plants. As I followed Jani through the dimly lit hallways, I noticed that the plants creeping around the house were not just limited to outside the house - even inside, vines grew along the walls and entire gardens seemed to sprout from the corners.

We reached an entryway and Jani bowed once to the occupant, whom I could not see, before gesturing me forward and then leaving. I stepped through the doorway, looking around at the circular room. It looked like a nursery, with sunlight streaming in through the windows to create a dappled effect on the floor, and potted plants on the floor and hanging from the ceiling.

As I looked closer, I noticed the desk in the center of the room that seemed to be made out of a living tree trunk. Various potions and medicines were littered across it, and something was bubbling in a cauldron. Pages and pages of notes spilled across the table, some fluttering to the floor, and in the midst of it all, stood a short, old woman with graying hair and square shaped spectacles.

She looked up as I walked in, and I was momentarily stunned by the striking greenness of her eyes... exactly like mine. But I blinked, and suddenly her eyes were a softer green, like seafoam instead of grass. Blinking again in shock, when I opened mine, her eyes had shifted to a deep ocean blue.

"Princess Kioni?" she inquired in a rasping voice, and I nodded, not even bothering to wonder how she knew my real identity. "Please, have a seat." She gestured to one of the armchairs strewn around the desk and I sat down in one, remembering to bow as I approached her.

"I believe Jani said that you were sent by someone..." Master Penye trailed off, squinting at me through her spectacles.

"Master Ojha," I told her. "We met in the Misty Palms Oasis, and she healed me after I'd injured myself trying to heal someone else. She said that if anyone could help me figure out the mystery of chi healing, it was you."

Penye stared at me for a long second before her face split into a wide smile. "Oh, yes Ojha!" she chuckled, walking around her desk towards me. "It's been too long since I've seen her. Is she well?"

"Um... yes, I think so," I replied, not really sure how to answer the question.

"Excellent, excellent," Penye said absentmindedly, sitting down in a chair opposite me. She turned to face me again, her many colored eyes boring into mine. "And she healed you... after you'd hurt yourself trying to heal someone else."

"Yes."

"By transferring your chi into their body."

I nodded.

Penye leaned back and studied me over the tips of her spectacles. "You're an earthbender, are you not?" she asked finally. I nodded again. "Tell me your story. When did you first discover healing abilities?"

So I told her about the incident at General Fong's base, about what it felt like and how confused I was afterwards, and then about healing Iroh and feeling so drained and tired but knowing instinctively it was the right thing to do. I neglected to mention Iroh's true identity, instead making it sound like he was just a refugee I had come across who had been injured in a natural accident.

After I finished telling my story, I glanced over at Penye again, but she hadn't moved from her position, still studying me with those all-knowing but ever-changing eyes.

"Interesting," she murmured after a while. "So you've been in Ba Sing Se for a while; why seek me out now?"

"I've been having these... nightmares," I began. "They're becoming more and more frequent and it's always the same thing. Someone I care about gets badly injured and there's this horrible voice telling me I could save them if I knew how to use my chi healing... but I don't."

"And they die, you powerless to help them," Penye said in a very final sort of voice. I nodded weakly.

"I was hoping that if I understood more about it, the dreams would stop," I finished. "And I was hoping you could help me understand." There was a long pause of silence as she stared at me and I shifted uncomfortably.

"Princess Kioni, what do you know about chi?" she asked me finally. My brows furrowed in confusion.

"Well... I know it flows through our bodies through pathways, like blood," I said. "I know its connected to bending in some way, because if your chi gets blocked then you can't bend anymore. I know the stomach is the center of chi in the body. I know when you get injured you can heal it by repairing the damaged chi. And I know it is instrumental in bending lightning."

Penye raised her eyebrows when I mentioned the lightning, but didn't comment on it. "Our chi is more than just the energy that allows us to bend," she said. "It is the very energy that keeps our souls alive, it is the lifeblood that makes up the fabric of our whole entities. True, bending is rooted in the connection of our chi to various elements, but our chi can connect us to so much more."

I leaned forward, my interest growing rapidly. "What do you mean?"

"In ancient times, in the era before elemental bending, the stories tell that people bended the very chi within themselves," Penye said, and my eyes widened. "The technique has been long forgotten, because the people caused much havoc amongst themselves and the spirits deemed the ability to bend another's chi to be too dangerous for humans to have. Thus, the people learned to connect to the elements around them."

"Is that what chi healing is?" I murmured in awe. "Can I bend another person's chi?"

"Of course not," Penye chuckled, and my face fell slightly. "That ability has been long lost. But I have reason to believe the two abilities are connected. You have a extraordinarily high level of spiritual energy, Princess Kioni. I believe that this spiritual energy is what not only gives you the ability to form these connections, to your natural element, but also what allows you to manipulate the energy in living plants and manipulate the energy within yourself and somehow transfer it to others."

I stared at her with a probably rather stupid expression, my mouth agape, while I tried to process what she was telling me. Spiritual... energy? As the words replayed in my mind, my heart fell.

"But I can't," I sighed dejectedly, looking down at my hands clasped in my lap. "At least, not properly. Whenever I try, I become weak; the chi can heal the other person's wounds, but it drains my own chi immensely. Ir- my uncle said that if I continue to chi heal someone for too long, I would... I would die."

"It would be much worse than that," Penye said solemnly, and my head snapped up to meet hers with a wide eyed expression of fear. "By draining yourself of your chi, you are not only losing your lifeblood, but your very essence. If you continued too long in this improper and highly dangerous fashion, you would render yourself utterly empty."

"Empty?" I questioned, my voice shaking.

"Soulless," Penye replied. "Without essence, without being."

I gulped audibly, my heart thrumming in my chest. This seemed so much worse than any nightmare, because it was a true reality. It seemed like I had no choice, that there was no gain for anyone.

"How do I do it properly then?" I asked finally, willing my voice to be stronger. "I need to figure out how to do it right. I _need_ to." I didn't even notice my eyes had started to pinch at the corners, but my throat was burning as I finished the sentence and I bit my lip, silently willing the tears down.

Penye stared at me for another immeasurable moment before answering.

"I have said all the elemental bending originally stemmed from chi bending, yes?" I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. "Do you know the core origin of elemental bending, my dear, which by extension is the core origin of all chi?"

I shook my head.

"You are the Princess of Omashu; surely you know the legend of how your kingdom was created?" Penye asked me.

"Of course," I replied. "Two lovers from warring villages learned earthbending from the badgermoles so that they could be together. When the man was killed in the war, the woman became so fraught with grief she unleashed a display of her power, but instead of killing them all, she insisted the war end and used her skills to build a magnificent city between the two villages. The woman's name was Oma and the man's name Shu, so the city was named Omashu in their honor."

"Correct," Penye replied. "Do you know the origins of waterbending?"

"The moon and the ocean," I replied. "The waterbenders observed their constant pushing and pulling and drew wisdom from the spirits Tui and La."

"Right again," Penye smiled. "I assume you know about the firebenders learning from the dragons to keep themselves alive and the air nomads leaning from the sky bison to detach themselves from the world as well."

"I've heard stories," I answered. "But what does that have to do with the origin of chi?"

"Think, Princess," Penye whispered. "Think, what do all four of those stories have in common? What caused the people to connect their chi to the elements and learn to bend?"

I furrowed my brow, thinking of the four stories. Oma and Shu learning to earthbend to preserve their love, the waterbenders learning from the moon and ocean, the firebenders learning for self preservation and the airbenders learning to be truly free.

"Is it... determination?" I asked, feeling unsure. "They all learned because they had the willpower to achieve what they needed to."

"Aah, close, very close, my dear," Penye smiled. "You said it, but not quite. All four types of bending, the presence of chi flowing through our bodies all stems from one core thing: _desire._"

"Desire?" I repeated, my eyebrows raising.

"Indeed," Penye continued mysteriously. "You were correct in deducing they had the willpower to achieve what they needed to, but they had this willpower _because_ they needed to have it."

"I don't understand," I said, utterly confused.

"Oma and Shu learned to earthbend from the badgermoles because they _needed_ to, because their _desire_ to be with each other was so strong that their chi _had_ to find a way to overcome this need otherwise they would literally be _consumed_ by it," Penye explained. "Each element's bending comes from a different desire; a desire so strong that the people had to either learn to bend the element or be destroyed by their utter need."

Earthbenders' bending comes from the desire to _protect_, as shown by Oma's horrific display of power after her lover's death. Waterbenders' bending comes from the desire to _change_, like the eternal push-and-pull of Tui and La. Firebenders' bending comes from the desire to _survive_. The original firebenders, the Sun Warriors, are masters at survival; they have kept their civilization alive for thousands of years. And finally, airbenders' bending comes from the desire to _be free_, which prompted them to detach themselves from the world and live in the Air Temples high above human civilization."

"That's great," I said, slightly annoyed. "But how does it help me learn how to chi heal?"

"Princess Kioni, you will never be able to master this ability until you have mastered control of your own chi," Penye said. "In order for you to transfer your chi to another without damaging yourself, your own chi must be firmly rooted. It must be unshakeable. You will not be able to accomplish this unless you can truly figure out what it is you _desire; _what you desire from yourself, from those around, and from the world."

What I desired? That didn't sound like such a difficult question. "Well, I guess I des-" I started, but that sounded so strange to say that I had to start over. "I guess I wan-"

"No!" Penye cut me off, sitting up straight. Startled, I glanced up at her eyes, which were flashing angrily and flickering between so many different colors I couldn't even keep track. "You do not understand! This is not about superficial _wants_ or even wordly _needs_. This is about what you, what your _soul,_ desires and needs at its very _core_."

Slightly frightened by her passionate outburst, I scooted back in my chair a little and fell silent, regarding Penye with wide eyes. She noticed this and sighed quietly, seeming a little embarrassed.

"Let's try this a different way," she said after a minute. "Is there anything in your life right now that you are uncertain about your desires on? Something you're not sure about where your feelings lie regarding that situation?"

_Zuko_.

I winced slightly to myself, and I could tell that she had noticed and was waiting expectantly, so there was really no backing out know. "Well, there is this boy..." I started hesitantly, before mentally smacking myself over how _cliché_ and _trite_ and _girlish_ that sounded. "I might be starting to kind of like him maybe, but..."_  
_

"You might be starting to kind of like him maybe," Penye deadpanned, raising both her eyebrows at me and I blushed. I was starting to see what she meant about not knowing what I really desired. "So, what is the issue?"

"Well, erm... he's sort of, uhm..." I hemmed and hawed, awkwardly dancing around the topic because I was becoming very very close to exposing Iroh and Zuko and while I thought Penye was a very wise and accepting woman I doubted she would take kindly to learning about Fire Nation infiltrators.

"Ojha told me you were traveling with the Dragon of the West and his nephew," Penye flat out stated.

"Oh," I replied rather stupidly. "Well, so you see my problem then."

"You haven't told me any problem," she said, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hands, smiling knowingly at me.

"He's Fire Nation!" I insisted, as if that explained everything. "But, _oh_, it's so confusing because sometimes he really is so sweet and awkward, which is strangely endearing, but he can also be so infuriating and I just... I just don't know!"

I realized in that moment that one, I had derailed quite far into rambling and revealed far more than necessary, two, my voice had risen and gotten very high pitched, and three, I was on the verge of a real life tantrum in that moment. I flushed very darkly and shrunk back in my chair, shamefaced and mumbling apologies to Penye, who merely watched with an mildly amused expression.

"This is a prime example of when clearing up your desire will help clear up some of the emotional turmoil that has muddled your chi," Penye explained with an air of serenity.

"So all I have to do is figure out how I feel about Zuko and I'll be able to chi heal?" I replied, with probably a hint more sass than was necessary, but Penye simply looked as if she was trying not to laugh.

"That might be a good place to start, yes," she smiled in return.

I heaved a long suffering sigh and leaned back in my chair, resisting the urge to roll my eyes simply because the rational voice in my head (which was very different from the annoying, Toph-and-sometimes-Sokka-esque voice) reminded me how childish and immature I was being in the moment.

"I know it is difficult to figure out what you desire so young," Penye said, her voice much more gentle than before. "But trust me when I say that sorting out your emotions and figuring out what you truly want from yourself and your life will be instrumental in clearing up some of the turmoil that is muddling up your chi, and will make it stronger in the future."

I played with my fingers, looking down and my lap, finally working up the courage to look up. Penye was looking at me understandingly, her face set in a sad smile and her eyes the same deep, clear green color they had been when I'd walked in.

"Thank you," I said sincerely, getting up and sinking into a low bow of respect. "Thank you for teaching me, Master Penye. You've definitely given me a lot to think about."

"I cannot hope to do any more," she smiled in reply, also standing. She led me to the door, and as I stepped outside into the cooling afternoon air (how had it gotten so late already?), she reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a small item.

"Give this to General Iroh from me, will you?" she asked, placing the object in my open palm and then closing my fingers over it. I glanced down, opening my palm, to see a Pai Sho tile resting there - the White Lotus tile. My eyes widened with the implication.

"Are you with the Order of the White Lo-?" I started excitedly, but when I glanced up, she had already vanished.

Frowning slightly, I closed the tile in my fist and again and started back towards the apartment. As I walked through the Lower Ring, with everything awash with that golden light that comes in the late afternoon, I mused on what Penye had told me. I walked back with dozens of answers inside my head, but it was also buzzing with thousands of new questions.

* * *

When I got back to the tea shop, the sun was already starting to set, so I wasn't sure if Iroh and Zuko were even still there. As I was about to open the door, the most unusual thing happened: an acorn fell out of the sky and bopped me lightly on the head.

Starting, I looked around frantically and was immediately quite perplexed because there were _no trees_ anywhere near the tea shop, so I was at quite a loss to where the acorn could have come from. I concluded that it must have been dropped by a stray squirrelmunk scampering over the roofs and was about to head inside when something fell onto my head, hitting me with light _thunk_!

Again! I whipped my head around furiously and then froze as I heard a very quiet snicker from above me. I glanced up just in time to see a flash of black hair pull back from the edge of the roof. Both surprised and annoyed, I crossed my arms and glared up at the roof.

"Real mature, _Lee_," I called up, frowning. Zuko stuck his head back over the edge and regarded me with a very smug look. "I am so going to get you," I threatened, although I didn't really mean it.

"Oh yeah?" Zuko replied cheekily. "How are you gonna get up here, huh?" He sat back, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

I glanced down the street one way and then the other, craning my neck to make sure there were no suspicious looking Dai Li agents lurking about, and then I stamped my foot once and brought my arms up, creating in a pillar of stone that rose above the ground until it was level with the roof. The way the smug look slid off Zuko's face as I rose up above him, arms crossed and foot tapping, was priceless.

I couldn't keep a straight face at the flash of panic that crossed his expression and I let out a snicker, stepping on the roof and nudging him aside gently. As I lowered the pillar back into the ground, I plopped down next to him on the roof and leaned back, inhaling quietly as I took in the magnificent view of the sunset from this point.

"Oh wow," I breathed, in awe of the gorgeous shades of red and orange painted across the skies. "I can see why you like the roof so much."

I felt Zuko lower himself into a lying position next to me, and when I looked over, he was already staring at me. His eyes darted away quickly, but then came shyly back and I gave him a smile, my heart fluttering slightly as he returned it before turning back to the sky.

"Kioni?" he asked quietly after a few minutes. I glanced over at him again, but his eyes were still fixed on the sky. I made a noise of acknowledgement so he'd know I'd heard him, but he stayed silent again for a few more seconds.

"Are we... are we friends?" he asked with so much uncertainty, as if _being friends_ was the strangest concept in the world to him. I glanced over again, but he was resolutely staring at the sky, though I could see that he had tensed much more after asking the question. I wondered how many friends Zuko had really had.

"Of course we are," I replied, still looking at him. He didn't turn towards me, but I could a small smile spread across his face. Smiling myself, I turned back to gaze upwards, my heart feeling light and happy.

The nagging voice in the back of my head reminded me about what Penye had said, about figuring out my feelings and finding out what I really desired, and I frowned. I didn't _want_ to think about my feelings for Zuko. Thinking was complicated and nasty and would most likely leave me confused, sad, angry, or some combination of all three. I _liked_ just lying on the roof with Zuko and having deep conversations and sparring and maybe having make-outy dreams about him and wasn't that good enough for now?

_For now, _the voice said, niggling in the back of my brain. _But it won't be good enough for long._

Well, _for now_, I decided to ignore that voice and simply lean back and enjoy the beautiful sights of the sunset and the alluring warmth of the incredibly confusing but always strangely comforting boy next to me.

And so I did just that, and together we watched the sun fade over the Lower Ring.

* * *

**I know, not that much Kiuko interaction in this chapter, but hopefully you got a deeper insight into Kioni's character and the whole chi-healing thing. **

**(I'm about to go on a character analysis rant now, so if that's not your thing, feel free to skip this part)**

**OCs are tricky, because it's very easy to make them what's generally referred to as a 'Mary Sue' character, or someone with no real flaws and therefore no real depth. I put an immense amount of effort to make sure Kioni has flaws and that those flaws are evident, and I think for the most part I do a pretty good job. **

**One of Kioni's major flaws (arguably her most major flaw) is her tendency to shy away or deflect things that scare her. She's a bit like Aang in this way, only that Aang runs away from his responsibility because it terrifies him and Kioni isn't scared by responsibility or duty. She's a princess, she's grown up with certain duties and responsibilities so she knows how to manage those and deal with them properly. **

**However, if you haven't noticed, she does tend to shy away other things. Her feelings for Zuko scare her, so she purposely chooses not to deal with them. Her ability to heal, especially chi-heal, scares her immensely, which is why she waits this long to even go see Penye. She has waited until her nightmares have gotten nearly unbearable - until they have become even more frightening than her abilities. She confronts a fear only for the purpose of getting rid of a greater fear.**

**Kioni's ability to chi heal is connected to her high level of spiritual energy, as mentioned in the chapter. I see the spectrum of bending energies as a sort of X shaped chart, if you will. Each 'leg' of the X represents the spectrum of each element, and the center of the X represents the Avatar, whose chi is connected to all four elements. Kioni would lie far closer to the center of the X than a traditional earthbender.**

**Kioni is not an earthbending master by any means. She's no Bumi, and she's definitely no Toph. The very reason she couldn't become Aang's teacher is because she herself needs to master neutral jing: the waiting and listening, and more importantly, the facing issues head on. Her fighting style is quite different from that of Toph, or of those at the Earth Rumble. She uses her agility far more and uses a larger amount of remote earthbending than we usually see in canon. **

**The main reason I did this is to emphasize her diversity and the diversity of the Earth Kingdom. The Earth Kingdom is by far the largest nation, so earthbenders would respectively outnumber other benders in terms of population. Iroh himself said the Earth Kingdom is strong and diverse; therefore, it wouldn't make sense for all earthbenders to be the rough-and-tough, smashing-rocks-with-heads types that we see. **

**As for the chi healing, as Penye pointed out, Kioni cannot master it for precisely the same reason: she is still quite flighty and indecisive about her feelings, and therefore her _desire_ (which fuels her _drive_ which strengthens her _chi_) is not entirely apparent to her yet. Hopefully, as matures a bit and takes more ownership of her decisions, both her chi healing and earthbending will become stronger. **

**As a final note, I just want to say that this deep analysis is coming _quite_ late into the story, so many of you might have developed different ideas and headcanons for Kioni's thoughts and actions. And that is _totally okay_. Just because I created her does not make my headcanon any more valid than yours! I would love to hear how your perceptions differed from mine, and what you agree/disagree with in what I said. **

**END RANT! **

**I'm not sure how I feel about the crazy long analysis rants... on one hand, I love love LOVE character analysis. It is one of my favorite things to do. Plus, I feel like if I do more explanation at the end, it gives me opportunity for more show-and-not-tell writing during the chapter and allows for more subtleties. But on the other hand, it can get quite tedious. **

**Please tell me in your reviews! Should I get more frequent with the ranty A/N or keep them short and sweet? Did you even read through this gigantic monstrosity? Have I completely lost track of you? Let me know!**

**Next up: The Tale of Zuko.**


	30. The Tale of Zuko

I was working in the tea shop one afternoon, a few days after I'd gone to visit Penye, when I noticed Jin sitting at a table in the corner by herself. She was sipping a cup of tea and sending frequent glances around the room, as if she was looking for someone. Feeling a little bad that I'd promised to talk to her later and then not seen her for several weeks, I made my way over.

"Hi Jin," I smiled as I approached. Her head popped up and her eyes widened slightly when they landed on me. She smiled widely after a second, but I didn't miss that split-second of disappointment that flashed across her face, as if she'd been expecting someone else.

"Hi Aria!" she grinned, waving at me to take a seat. "How are you? I dropped by a couple days ago, but I didn't see you."

"Oh, this my first day working this week," I answered, settling down in the bench next to her. "I'm pretty good though, how about you?"

"Ah, you know, the usual," she replied, waving her hand dismissively. "How are you and your uncle settling in?"

"Pretty well, I think," I said, smiling instinctively. Jin's bubbly personality and friendliness was infectious. "I haven't really had much of a chance to explore the city though. I mean the Lower Ring, sorry, obviously we can't go anywhere else." I didn't even notice the bitterness with which I said the last part, but it was clearly there. The whole system of locks and walls bothered me more than I let on.

Jin's face fell slightly and her eyes shifted around guiltily. At first, I thought this was because I'd said something potentially dangerous and she was watching out for the Dai Li, but then she leaned in closer and her voice dropped to a conspiring whisper.

"I know a way to get into the Middle Ring," she said under her breath, still looking around nervously, but her eyes shone with excitement. My eyes widened and I also glanced around us before leaning in.

"Really?" I asked, full of curiosity. Jin nodded secretively.

"There's an area near the west end of the Lower Ring, behind a pet store," she explained. "The bricks there are fairly loose and if you're careful you can make a hole big enough to crawl through." I leaned back, both a little surprised and impressed. I didn't think Jin was really the rule-breaking or sneaking-around type. I was about to ask what she did when she went to the Middle Ring when an annoyed voice interrupted our conversation.

"Hey, Aria!" I looked over my shoulder to see Zuko staring at me with a rag in his hand. "These tables won't wash themselves!"

"Not if you wash them for me," I answered cheekily and Zuko huffed, although he looked like he was trying hard not to smile.

"He is so _cute_," I heard Jin say rather breathlessly behind me. A flash of annoyance shot through me, and I twisted back quickly to glare at her. The dreamy expression slid off her face to be replaced by an alarmed look as she caught sight of my face.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she sputtered, holding up her hands. "Is he your boyfriend? Oh, spirits, he totally is, isn't he? Of course he is, Jin, you idiot. I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to hit on him, I _swear_."

I blinked once, slightly befuddled by her frantic rambling. _Boyfriend?_

"He's not my boyfriend!" I insisted quickly, a blush rising on my cheeks. Jin stopped her blabbering in surprise and looked at me with an odd expression on her face. I let out a loud laugh. "Oh, that's too funny! No, nooooo way." I continued to laugh in that nervous way until Jin looked thoroughly confused and slightly worried for my well being.

"We're cousins," I explained, wiping my eyes theatrically, although my heart was screaming at me about what an idiot I was. "We all moved here together. Boyfriend? Hahaha, no, absolutely not, oh, so hilarious." I chuckled nervously.

"Oh," Jin looked bemused for a minute before her eyes lit up again. "Oh, okay then."

"Yup," I said lamely as Jin fixed her eyes on Zuko again and the annoyance bubbled up again.

"Aria, stop being such a lazy sloth panda!" Zuko yelled at me again, looking quite grumpy this time. I rolled my eyes in his direction and stood up from the table, sending a apologetic look towards Jin, but I'm not even sure she noticed.

"Cousins," I sighed dramatically, watching her out of the corner of my eye. "Am I right?"

"Mhmm," she said absentmindedly, still focused on Zuko as he scrubbed down the counter. I huffed slightly, irritation flickering again. She was looking at him like he was a piece of meat and she was a hungry polar bear dog!

Crossing my arms, I pushed my bench in with slightly more force than necessary and stalked off to pour more tea.

* * *

The next afternoon was a slow one at the tea shop; there was only one other old man and of course, Jin. For some reason, the sight of her made me unreasonably cranky, for reasons that had nothing to do with the fact that she was clearly smitten with Zuko. Of course not. I'm not one for petty jealousy. Seriously.

I was just keeping a close eye as Zuko went to go pour tea for her, for customer service purposes. I watched as Zuko said something while pouring her tea and Jin giggled _quite a lot. _I rolled my eyes; Zuko rarely said anything that was that funny. My mind traitorously flashed back to the embarrasment of the rice joke and I flushed, looking down and wiping the counter with increased vigor.

I glanced up again to see Jin say something to Zuko that caused him to look quite surprised. He mumbled something incoherently and hurried back to the counter, Jin's eyes on his back the entire way.

"Uncle," Zuko hissed to Iroh as he approached. Iroh, who was stacking tins on a shelf, tilted his head to acknowledge he had heard, but didn't say anything. "We have a problem!" Iroh turned to face him, bemused, and stepped down from his stepladder. I leaned in from my position on the counter as Zuko lowered his voice and glanced suspiciously towards Jin.

"One of the customers is onto us," Zuko whispered. "Don't look now, but there is a girl over there the corner table. She knows we're Fire Nation!" Iroh and I looked at the only girl in the tea shop and I raised my eyebrows. "Didn't I say don't look!?"

"Jin?" I asked skeptically. "What makes you think that?"

"I apologized for her tea being slightly cold, and she said that if anyone could keep it hot it would be me! And then she winked! She obviously knows we're firebenders!" Zuko whispered and my eyes widened considerably before they narrowed into a glare. On the other hand, Iroh let out a hearty laugh, looking heavily amused. I failed to see the humor in the situation.

"I don't think that is quite what she meant, nephew," Iroh chuckled. "You're right, I have seen that girl in here quite a lot. Seems to me she has quite the little crush on you."

"What?!" Zuko cried, shocked. I think he would have been less surprised if Iroh had told him Jin was actually Azula in disguise.

"Thank you for the tea," a voice came from behind us and all three of us jumped, whirling around in surprise to see Jin standing there. She handed Zuko a few gold coins and Iroh and I turned away, a huge smile on his face and a carefully controlled expression on mine. I busied myself with washing teacups so that I wouldn't just stand there with my fists clenched.

"What's your name?" Jin asked and Zuko flinched unconsciously before he turned back around to face her.

"My name's Lee," he answered with a surprising lack of hostility. "My uncle, my cousin and I just moved here."

"Yeah, Aria and I have met," she said, and I turned around, giving her an obligatory smile and wave, before I went back to scrubbing teacups. "But its nice to meet you, Lee. My name's Jin. Thank you, and... well... I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime."

The teacup slipped from my soapy fingers and fell into the water with a rather large splash, getting soapy water all over the front of my apron. I swore under my breath and wiped the suds from my face, as Iroh whirled around excitedly.

"He'd love to!" Iroh cried before Zuko even had a chance to answer.

"Great!" Jin beamed. "I'll meet you outside the shop by sundown." With that, she gave Zuko a coy little wink and wave and skipped - literally _skipped_ - out the door. I watched her go, fuming silently. Iroh slapped a hand on Zuko's shoulder and grinned, but Zuko merely gave him a glare in response.

"Uncle," Zuko said in a voice that sounded like he was trying very hard not to lose his patience. "Did you just rope me into going on a _date_?"

"You're welcome, nephew," Iroh grinned, looking quite pleased with himself. "This is so exciting! It's too bad that Jet fellow turned out to be a crazy stalker psycho, otherwise you and Kioni could have had a double date!"

"Oh, yes, it's a real shame," I said sarcastically.

"I don't want to go on a date!" Zuko cried, throwing his hands in the air. I felt slightly more relieved at this, at least Zuko wasn't drawn in by her bouncing braids and perkiness and _skipping_.

"Why not?" Iroh asked. "Come on, Zuko, it will do you good to have some fun! All you do when we're not working is sit around the apartment and mope. Even Kioni went out last night!" Zuko turned to look at me accusingly.

"You sent me out to buy papayas," I pointed out to Iroh, who waved his hand dismissively.

"Besides, Jin is _quite_ good looking, isn't she?" Iroh nudged his nephew teasingly and I felt the scowl form on my face again. She was alright... I mean, okay, she wasn't _hideous_, but she wasn't _that_ good looking. Her eyes were far too big for one thing - they reminded me unnervingly of Momo.

I pictured Jin as Momo for a second, which cheered me up considerably.

"That's beside the point!" Zuko sputtered. Wait... did that mean he _agreed _with Iroh?! Did he find her attractive?! "We're supposed to be laying low and minding our own business, and I don't think gallivanting around with Earth Kingdom girls is part of that plan!"

"Don't be silly," Iroh assured him. "We're supposed to be blending in, yes, and normal Earth Kingdom teenage boys go on dates with normal Earth Kingdom teenage girls."

Zuko huffed angrily and turned away from his Uncle, but I could see his expression softening. No! What was this? Was he actually considering on going on this date? I opened my mouth to come up with a counterargument, but then I realized I didn't have one that didn't make me sound like a jealous harpy - which I definitely was not.

"Come on, Prince Zuko, it's just one date," Iroh said, his voice much softer. He put a hand on his nephew's shoulder and Zuko let out a quiet sigh.

"I don't even know what to _do _on a date," he said helplessly, turning around and looking at his uncle with beseeching eyes. Despite my fierce opposition to this whole date business, I couldn't stand the sight of Zuko looking like a polar bear puppy who had been lost in the snow.

"It's not that hard," I found myself saying, although my heart was screeching at me to stop talking. "I could help you get ready, if you want." _No! Abort mission!_ my heart screamed, but Zuko turned his big, pleading eyes on me and I completely caved.

"You'd do that?" he asked, his voice growing hopeful. Oh, like I was going to say no _now._

"Yeah, sure," I shrugged, as if it were no big deal. Iroh looked at me as if he was seeing something he hadn't seen previously, and he frowned slightly, deep in thought.

"Well, we had better head home now, then!" Iroh clapped his hands together jovially, although his tone was slightly less cheerful than before. Both Zuko and I noticed, and turned to him in questioning, but Iroh merely grinned and started to usher us out the door. "Come on, otherwise you won't have enough time to get ready!"

"Uncle, I don't need hours to get ready," Zuko protested as Iroh pushed us out the door of the tea shop and started heading towards the apartment.

"Let's just go," I muttered, grabbing his arm and pulling him along. "It'll take more energy to fight with him."

* * *

"Okay, so when you have dinner, remember _don't _order for her on the first date," I told Zuko, who was sitting across the table from me with a steaming cup of tea in his hands, courtesy of Iroh. "It just makes you look presumptuous."

"Why are there so many rules on dates?" Zuko groaned, putting his head in his hands. "They sound worse than those etiquette lessons I had to take as a child."

"Oh, I don't know, those were pretty awful," I teased, recalling my own experiences with etiquette lessons. "At least you get to spend the time with a pretty girl instead of a crabby old matron."

Zuko looked up at me before a slightly shy expression crossed his face. "I suppose you _are_ a better teacher than Madame Kiharu," he agreed, glancing up at me and then away, embarrassed.

I blinked, surprised. I had been talking about Jin, but apparently he thought... a slow, shy yet pleased smile crept across my face. Did he mean what I think he meant? He thought I was pretty?

"Well, uhm, remember your topics for conversation!" I said, flustered. Zuko stopped looking vaguely embarrassed and looked frustrated again.

"Ugh!" he grumped. "What's even the point?" He flopped down dramatically on the table again, and I rolled my eyes at him good naturedly, sipping at my tea. "How do you know so much about dates anyway?" he raised his head slightly, and looked at me suspiciously as if he had just realized something about me and he didn't like it at all.

"I read a lot of romance novels when I was younger," I confessed sheepishly. "It's not like I've been on multitudes of dates before, so don't worry." I'm not exactly sure why I told him to not worry, and even less sure why he looked significantly less worried after I said so, but the next moment Iroh burst through the doors, derailing my train of thought.

"I've got your clothes, Zuko!" he said cheerfully, waving a garment bag around. Zuko looked less than impressed.

"You bought me a new outfit?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course!" Iroh replied. "Go on, try it on, you don't have that much time until sunset!" Iroh pulled Zuko up from the table, shoved the bag in his arms, and started pushing him towards the bedroom, ignoring Zuko's vehement protests and grumblings.

I smiled down at my cup of tea at their antics, especially when Iroh cried, "Wait! Let me do your hair!" and ran in behind Zuko, who cried, "Oh, spirits help me!" in response. I could hear them arguing behind the doors; it sounded like Zuko was most displeased with the way Iroh was doing his hair. Iroh merely responded, "Oh, hush up and listen to someone who has _plenty_ of experience with the ladies," to which Zuko made a noise of disgust.

Ten minutes later, Iroh emerged from the bedroom, beaming happily. "Wait until you see how handsome he looks!" he crowed proudly. "Come on out and show Kioni!"

"I'm not coming out!" Zuko protested from inside, his voice sounding muffled. I raised an eyebrow and tried to peer inside the bedroom, but I couldn't catch a glimpse of him.

"Zuko, come on," Iroh said, sounding slightly impatient. "You're going to be late."

Slowly, Zuko emerged, and my eyes widened and I had to bite my lip to stop from giggling, as I was sure neither Zuko nor Iroh would appreciate that much. He was dressed in black pants and shoes with a dark green button up tunic and an olive green shirt underneath. A moss green sash had been tied around his waist, apparently like a belt.

The best part though, was Zuko's hair. Iroh must have slicked it down with some coconut oil or something, because it was incredibly shiny and plastered flat on his head. The outfit would have been just fine by itself - rather handsome, actually - but with his slicked down hair and extremely grumpy expression... well, I had to take a moment to compose myself.

"I look ridiculous," he muttered angrily.

"Nonsense!" Iroh replied. "You look most handsome." Zuko rolled his eyes fiercely before he looked towards me as if he was asking my approval. I gave him an thumbs up.

In hindsight, the kinder thing to do would probably have been to help Zuko fix his hair so it didn't look quite so... foppish, but in my defense, I had just spent the afternoon helping him get ready for a date with some bouncy braided perky girl. That was not me. So, my happiness was already at quite a low, I figured it was all right to let myself have this.

"Okay, I'm going," Zuko grumbled. He was just walking out the door when Iroh spoke up.

"Oh dear me, I must have forgotten the tea I wanted to try tonight back at the shop!" he lamented. Zuko froze and I tried to keep from snickering. "Kioni, would you mind coming with me to fetch it?"

Zuko turned, his expression horrified, and I couldn't help the quiet laugh that escaped me. "Sure, Uncle, we can all walk over together," I teased. Uncle bounded out the door past Zuko cheerfully, and I followed him, smirking at the glare Zuko shot me.

"You know, the urge to mess up your hair right now is overwhelming," I said to him quietly as we walked side by side to the tea shop.

"I might just do it myself to spare the humiliation," he muttered back. I laughed and he shot me a fleeting smile in reply.

"Well, I have to give myself _some_ consolation for tonight," I murmured, mostly to myself. A second later, I realized what I had just blurted out and flushed. Zuko turned to look at me with wide eyes.

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"Nothing!" I replied quickly, cursing myself inwardly.

"Are you... are you _jealous_?" Zuko asked, sounding equal parts incredulous and awed. My face flushed even deeper and I turned my mental curses to the spirits, mixed in with pleas for a rock to fall out of the sky and knock my unconscious.

"_No_!" I insisted, my voice rising to an unnatural volume and pitch. It seemed to be doing that a lot lately, I noted with chagrin. "Psh... why would-why would I be jealous?" I tried to play it off nonchalantly, but my voice came out pathetically weak.

Zuko raised an eyebrow at me, but something in his expression seemed very different from a moment ago. It was skeptical and teasing and smug... but also oddly happy. I huffed some more at him and stomped off to walk with Iroh, but I could feel his pleased gaze on my back. Why me, oh great spirits? Why me?

We reached the tea shop just as the sun finished setting and Iroh quickly found his "lost tea" while I hung around the counter, sulking in my own muddled up feelings. Meanwhile, Zuko flopped down on one of the tables and kept casting anxious glances at the door.

"It's past sundown, nephew," Iroh pointed out. "You should probably go outside and wait for her."

Muttering unintelligibly, Zuko picked himself up and headed out the door. The second the door swung shut behind him, both Iroh and I rushed to the window, where we could peek outside.

Zuko stood by himself for a second, looking around worriedly, before Jin emerged from a corner and walked towards him. "Hey," she smiled as she approached, her smile growing wider as she saw Zuko's attired. "Well, look at you! You look so cute," she giggled, and then proceeded to _ruffle his hair._

I stood there, mouth agape with disbelief, as Zuko muttered about how it had taken Iroh ten minutes to do his hair. I was supposed to mess up his hair! That was supposed to be my one consolation and now she had gone and... and... messed it up! Quite literally!

Stupid Jin. Stupid Jin with her stupid happy face and her stupid perky ponytail which had replaced those stupid bouncy braids.

Gah.

I was so jealous.

* * *

Zuko cast one more desperate look at the window of the tea shop (where he _knew_ his uncle and Kioni were hiding, the sneaky meddlers) as Jin looped her arm through his and pulled him away. They began walking down the street, Jin chattering a mile a minute, and Zuko couldn't help but feel distinctly uncomfortable about how close she was pressed against him.

_Don't try to hold her hand or anything right away, that would just make things awkward,_ Zuko heard Kioni's voice reminding him in their earlier lessons of How To Go On A Date. Awkward was certainly right, he realized.

"I know this _great_ resteraunt in the Middle Ring we can go to," Jin gushed, causing Zuko to stop short.

"We're not allowed in the Middle Ring," he said, confused. Jin's normally sweet face took on a distinctly mischievous expression.

"You opposed to a little rule breaking?" she asked, smirking at him. Before he could say anything, Jin pulled him down an alleyway near some kind of factory and pressed him against the wall, pressing a finger to his lips. After a few seconds of tense silence, she darted behind the factory, dragging Zuko with her by the hand, and pointed out a section of the wall where the stone was crumbling.

"Come on," she whispered, climbing through the hole. After a second of hesitation, Zuko followed her.

He emerged on the other side, and followed Jin around the alleyway and into a cheerfully lit square. People milled about in the dusk light, chatting and smiling with their companions. Despite not looking that different from the Lower Ring, Zuko felt a distinctively different atmosphere. It seemed lighter, and less tense somehow.

"The resteraunt's this way," Jin said, grabbing ahold of Zuko's arm again and pulling him towards a cheerfully lit restaurant on the other side of the square. Everything was so _cheerful,_ it was unnerving.

They entered the restaurant and sat down at a table near the open window, so Zuko could see out into the streets. Even as the sky got darker and darker, people still gathered in the square. Jin grabbed two menus from the waiter and handed one to him.

"Are you two ready to order yet?" their waiter asked pleasantly. Zuko had barely glanced over the menu, but Jin cut him off.

"Yes, I'll get the noodles and the singing trout," Jin said. She turned slightly towards Zuko. "Lee, you should really try the dumplings and meatballs, they're amazing."

"Oh... um," Zuko was too startled to give a proper answer. Kioni had told him never to order for her on the first date... but she hadn't said anything about Jin trying to order for him. Was that acceptable? "Sure," he answered weakly, just because both Jin and the waiter were looking at him expectantly.

"Great!" Jin beamed, turning back to the waiter. "And a bowl of steamed rice and a pot of jasmine tea please." The waiter nodded and walked off, leaving Jin beaming at Zuko, who looked at her rather helplessly.

* * *

"Where do you think they went?" I asked, staring out the window of our apartment. It was well after sundown, and Jin and Zuko were probably eating dinner somewhere... did she take him to the Middle Ring?

"Maybe to get some dumplings, there's a wonderful place a few blocks down," Iroh replied serenely. "Kioni, come and eat some dinner."

"M'not hungry," I said absentmindedly, craning my neck out to try to see down the street.

Was it weird if I went to look for them? Just to check up, of course. I mean, Jin might have taken him to the Middle Ring illegally, if they got caught by the Dai Li, they'd need someone to help them. Zuko obviously didn't have his swords with them, and I didn't think Jin was an earthbender.

I was just very concerned for their safety. Really.

"I'm just gonna go get some fresh air," I said innocently, stepping down from my perch by the windowsill and heading towards the door. I grabbed my swords along the way, just in case.

"Kioni, I know you are jealous, but spying on Zuko and his date is not the right course of action."

I froze at the doorway and turned around slowly to face Iroh. He was looking at me disapprovingly, but there was some sadness and regret in his expression as well.

"What?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'm not going to spy on them! I'm not jealous. That's ridiculous." I laughed, but the sound came off high pitched and nervous. Iroh raised an eyebrow at me.

"Sit down, dear, and have some dinner," he gestured to the spread in front of him and I sighed, putting my swords down and walking over to the table.

"It upsets you, doesn't it?" Iroh asked as I sat down. "Zuko going on this date?"

"I don't ca-" I started, but stopped at the look on his face. I couldn't lie to Iroh. "Maybe," I sighed, slumping forward.

"I feel as if I should apologize," Iroh said cautiously. I looked up in surprise to see him look slightly abashed. "If I had known you had developed such feelings for my nephew, I would not have accepted Jin's date on his behalf."

I was stunned into silence for a few seconds before I began sputtering incoherently. I blushed and I babbled and I denied it vehemently, but Iroh merely looked at me as if he didn't believe a word I was saying.

"Ah, young love," he teased, and I flushed even deeper.

"It's not... _love_," I said, stumbling over my words. "I just... okay... maybe I have a teeny, tiny, inconsequential little crush. Maybe. But it will pass. And anyway, it doesn't matter."

"Don't be so dismissive of your feelings, dear girl," Iroh said sagely. "If they mean something to you, you ought to do something about them."

I slumped down on the kitchen table and put my head in my arms, feeling confused and torn and miserable. "I don't know what to do about them," I sighed sadly. "I don't even know how I really feel."

"Perhaps that is something you can think on," Iroh replied. "And if it makes you feel any better, I am almost certain my nephew is having the same dilemma." I sat upright quickly, my heart pounding with hope, and Iroh smiled knowingly at me.

* * *

"Come on, let's go!" Jin grabbed his Zuko's hand and dragged him quickly out of the restaurant pulling him along at an alarming speed. Zuko wondered briefly how she was able to run so fast; had he not been accustomed to extreme physical exertion, Zuko would have definitely tripped over his own feet.

"I'm so excited for you to see the Firelight Fountain," Jin glanced over her shoulder at him, her eyes wide and shining with excitement. "The lamps make the water sparkle and reflect off the pool in the most _beautiful _way."

As they rounded another corner and slipped back into the Lower Ring, Zuko couldn't help but be a little wary. Dinner had been frightfully awkward - granted, it had been mostly his fault, but still. First he had made a compliment-that-was-actually-insulting about Jin's appetite, and then he'd been forced to lie and say he knew how to _juggle_, of all things.

Zuko had never juggled a day in his life. The broken ceramic on the floor of the restaurant could attest to that.

Zuko had _tried_, he really had, but for some reason conversation just didn't flow easily with Jin. She'd asked most of the questions, and Zuko had only given brief, one word answers, and when he tried to make a comment or ask a question, she would just steamroll over him with her chattering. Or if she didn't, he'd end up blabbering something horrifically inappropriate... like the appetite comment.

And the food had been awfully bland; Zuko wished he'd ordered the spicy noodle soup he'd seen on the menu, because those dumplings and meatballs were just a big plate of blah. It was the kind of food Kioni would have _loved, _he thought ruefully.

Suddenly, Jin pulled him up short, and Zuko looked around, surprised. There was no sparkling water, no reflecting lamps... just a dark, dingy fountain in another small square in the Lower Ring.

"I can't believe it!" Jin cried, dropping his hand. "They're not lit."

She looked so crestfallen, Zuko couldn't help but feel bad for her. The night had been a disaster, for her as well as him after all, and it had been mostly his fault. She had been so excited about the fountain too, and it was just another disappointment, but still, Zuko couldn't help but-

"Close your eyes," he said sternly, making up his mind. "And _don't peek._" Jin looked at him curiously for a second but then complied, putting her hands securely over her eyes.

Taking a deep breath through his nose, Zuko closed his eyes for a second and located his inner fire. It had been so long since he firebent, and he had to be _so careful_... if anyone saw him right now, it would be the end of their peaceful settlement in Ba Sing Se. But the alleyway was deserted, and Jin had her eyes firmly closed, and he ought to do at least one nice thing for her to make up for this night...

His eyes snapped open, and immediately Zuko fell into stance, shooting tiny flames into the lamps surrounding the pond. It was a technique that his cousin Lu Ten had taught him _ages_ ago, and the technique required utmost concentration and control. Lu Ten had been excellent at it at the time. Zuko had not.

However, he felt calm and in control as he fired the tiny flames into each of the lamps perfectly - never knocking one over, never setting anything else ablaze. Perhaps it was the fact that he hadn't firebended in so long, or perhaps it was the fact that for the first time in a very long time, Zuko felt oddly at peace where he was.

"Okay," he told Jin once all the lamps were lit. "Now you can look."

Jin pulled her hands away from her face, her eyes opening wide as she took in the sight of the fully lit fountain in front of her. "Oh, wow," she breathed. "What happened? How did they light? What did you-?" Jin cut off in awe as she glanced around again, and Zuko couldn't help but smile.

He turned to the fountain in front of him, thinking that it really was beautiful, with the lamps flickering off the water and making the whole place glow with a warm light. He realized that for once, he'd used firebending not for destruction, but to make someone else happy.

It was a strange feeling, but Zuko kind of liked it.

Suddenly, a hand slipped into his and Zuko turned to look at Jin in surprise. She had a coy look on her face, as if she was expecting something. Zuko had a quiet inkling of what she expected, and it made him slightly uncomfortable. She turned towards him and started to lean in...

"I brought you something!" Zuko said quickly, holding up the paper Iroh had given him while he did his hair. "It's a coupon for a free cup of tea." Jin looked disappointed for a moment, but then she smiled at him.

"Lee, this is so sweet," she said, taking the coupon.

"Don't thank me," Zuko said, stepping away. "It was my uncle's idea. He thinks you're our most valuable customer."

"Your uncle is a good teacher," Jin smiled, looking at him with that coy face again. Suddenly, Jin stepped forward again and put her hand on Zuko's cheek tilting his face towards her. "I have something for you too. Now it's your turn to close your eyes."

Zuko was fairly sure what she was going to give him, and he hesitated for a moment. Uncle's voice came back in his ear: _normal Earth Kingdom boys go on dates with normal Earth Kingdom girls._ Did he really want to be a normal Earth Kingdom boy though? Zuko was Fire Nation, through and through. Did he really want someone who didn't even know who he really was?

He thought back to Kioni, who was, by all intents and purposes, a normal Earth Kingdom girl. Aside from the fact that she was actually a princess, of course. Kioni knew who he really was. And still... she accepted him for it. She said she cared about him. She said they were friends.

But in the present, Jin was still looking at him expectantly, so Zuko closed his eyes and allowed her to gently press her lips to his.

Instinctively, he leaned forward, but then pulled away in shock. He'd felt... nothing. Jin was a nice girl, and she was definitely attractive, but when he kissed her... he couldn't help but compare it to that night atop the mountain. It seemed like so long ago, but Zuko could distinctly remember the fire that licked through his veins and warmed his bones while he had Kioni in his arms.

"What's wrong?" Jin asked, looking disappointed and slightly hurt.

"It's... it's complicated," Zuko said quietly, not sure what else he could say. "I have to go. I'm sorry." Without another word, he took off running, leaving Jin standing by herself at the Firelight Fountain.

He ran all the way back to the apartment, and entered slowly, the door swinging open with a creak. He looked up and saw his uncle straighten from where he'd _clearly_ been leaning out the window, watching and waiting for him, the meddling old man. Iroh merely pretended he hadn't been doing anything and continued trimming the flowerpots he had lined up on the windowsill.

He didn't see Kioni, and he couldn't ignore the slight pang of disappointment.

"How was your night, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked, but Zuko merely stomped across the small living area and flung open the bedroom doors, stepping inside and slamming them shut.

Zuko flopped down on his bed and briefly caught sight of a figure under the blankets in the bed across from him. So she was already asleep then. Sighing deeply, Zuko opened the bedroom door and glanced out at his uncle, who was still standing by the window, his face surprised.

"It was nice," he said quietly, before shutting the door gently again.

He wasn't lying; it had been a nice night.

It had just been with the wrong girl.

* * *

"Kioni."

"Mmmph."

"Kioni, are you awake?"

I let out a sleepy groan, rolling over and pulling myself into a sitting position. I hadn't even realized I'd fallen asleep. After dinner, I had waited anxiously in the apartment, pacing back and forth and most unhealthily trying to imagine all the different possible scenarios for Zuko's date. After about an hour, Iroh had gotten a bit annoyed and suggested that I just head to bed before I gave myself a heart attack. I had complied with his advice, but instead of sleeping, I'd lain awake in my bed, continuing to work up scenarios in my mind. I would have thought I'd been too worked up to even fall asleep, but clearly that hadn't been the case.

As my eyes blinked to adjust to the moonlight streaming in through the window, I made out Zuko's form standing at the foot of my bed and looking over me. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't just hallucinating or dreaming again, but nope, there he was - and fully dressed by the looks of it.

"Wha's... what's going on?" I asked sleepily.

"Will you come onto the roof with me?" Zuko asked. At first, I thought I had misheard him.

"The roof?" I asked incredulously, more awake now. "What on earth... Zuko, it's the middle of the night."

Zuko shifted, looking distinctly awkward, and I felt a pang of guilt for him. "Why do you want me to go on the roof?" I sighed.

"I just... I don't know, I needed to get away for a while," he mumbled under his breath. "And I just... I don't... I just wanted some company, okay? If you don't want to come, I'll just go by myself."

"No, fine, I'll come," I sighed, pulling myself out of my bed. I'd fallen asleep in my day clothes, so I just had to pull on my boots before I followed him out the bedroom doors. As I closed the doors gently beside me, I cast a look at Iroh, who was still fast asleep in his bed, snoring quietly.

We walked in silence to the tea shop, with only the quiet chirping of crickets in the background. It had to be well after midnight, as there was no one walking the streets of the Lower Ring, not even the seedy types who prowled the night looking for unsuspecting citizens to rob or mug.

When we arrived, Zuko took a few steps back and made to run towards the shop and jump, but I placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a knowing smile. He looked at me in confusion, but I smirked and took his hand, before stomping once and creating a pillar below both of us that rose out of the earth and up. Zuko gave the tiniest squawk of surprise and gripped my hand tighter.

"Relax, you big baby," I snickered, stepping off the pillar and onto the roof, leading him off by his hand. "After you, my prince." I bowed low, a teasing smile on my face, my smile growing even wider at the unamused look he gave me.

We sat down side by side on the roof, and I looked up, once again rendered speechless by the starry skies above. They were gorgeous - thousands of constellations, spilling across the night sky like paint on an endless black canvas, sparkling and twinkling with the moon bathing the whole street in an ethereal, silver light.

I glanced at Zuko again briefly, and although he was looking at the sky, his face was tense. I was content to sit in comfortable silence and stargaze, but I had the feeling he wanted to tell me something. And, like always with Zuko, he wasn't going to come right out and say it.

"So," I began, trying to start the conversation. "How was your date?"

Zuko glanced at me, surprised, before he let out an audible groan and leaned back. "It was a _disaster_," he bemoaned, putting his head into his hands. I wasn't proud of it, but I felt a tiny prick of satisfaction when he said that. "First she kept holding my hand, even when my hand got all clammy, and then we went this restaurant and she ordered for me! I didn't know what to do, because you said that I shouldn't order for her, but you didn't say anything about her ordering for me. Anyway, the food was so bland. And then I tried to give her a compliment, but I just ended up calling her fat and then I had to make up some lie about how I was in the circus and she asked me to juggle! I can't juggle! So I broke, like, four pots and got food all over myself, and yeah, it was pretty much a disaster."

I blinked, speechless. I don't think I'd ever heard Zuko talk that much in one go before.

"Well, don't hold back," I joked, feeling secretly pleased. "Did... did you kiss her?" I tried to ask nonchalantly, but my voice came out soft and vulnerable instead. Zuko glanced at me cautiously before answering, as if to gage my reaction.

"She kissed me," he answered, and my face fell. "But it was really quick, and... I didn't feel anything."

Zuko glanced at me again, looking more and more nervous, as if there was something he really needed to say and he didn't know quite how to say it. He wrung his fingers together in his lap and looked out over the darkened city.

"I didn't really know what it meant," he began carefully. "Because I don't have that many other... kisses, to, you know... compare it to." He flushed slightly and I colored as well, thinking he was referring to our kiss, but then he kept talking. "I mean, when I was a kid, I had a crush on this girl named Mai, one of my sisters' friends."

"Mai!?" I cried, my voice rising incredulously. "Mai, as in the grumpy girl who runs around chucking knives at everyone?!"

"You know her?" Zuko asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah, considering that her dad is the governor of Omashu and that she helped your sister track Aang," I replied, snarkily, feeling shocked and angry and hurt all at the same time.

"Oh," Zuko said, also looking surprised. "I didn't... I didn't know that." He looked away awkwardly now, and fiddled with his hands, as if he didn't know how to continue.

"Anyway," he said, as if he was deciding to plow on. "When I was about thirteen, I finally worked up the courage to kiss her. It was nice... and at that moment, it was probably the best moment of my thirteen year old life." He smiled indulgently for a second, as if he was reliving the memory, and I scowled. "Of course, my life kind of fell to pieces shortly after that.

Before I went to go fight the Agni Kai, Mai cornered be behind the stadium and gave me another kiss for good luck. I remember feeling on top of the world then, before I knew... but when she kissed me, it seemed like I could do no wrong." His face fell again as he remembered what happened next. "I haven't seen her since then."

I crossed my arms, the jealousy that had been simmering under the surface all afternoon bubbling higher and higher. If all Zuko was going to do was sit here and talk about how great his ex-girlfriends were, I was seriously considering going back to the apartment and leaving him here by himself.

"But as... _nice_ as those moments were," Zuko continued, seemingly oblivious to my anger. "They weren't... that special. I mean, of course they were special, but I didn't feel... I don't know, I didn't feel like she literally took my breath away. None of _those_ kisses made me feel... I don't know..." Zuko turned very red at this point, and glanced at me as if I was supposed to understand something, but I was too wrapped up in my own jealousy.

"Why are you telling me this?" I demanded, my voice rising slightly. I ignored the way my throat closed up and my heart clenched. "Frankly, I don't really care about your past relationships, Zuko."

"Angi, Kioni, would you listen?" Zuko said. "I'm telling you... I'm trying to say..." He let out a frustrated groan and ran his fingers through his hair.

"What I'm trying to say is that kissed Mai twice, and I kissed Jin tonight, but I didn't feel even a _fraction_ of what I felt when I kissed you!" he cried.

_Oh_. I stared at him, stunned into silence.

"And then tonight," Zuko continued ranting. "All I could think about when she kissed me, all I can think about _at all_ nowadays, is kissing you again, and it's driving me _crazy_."

My mouth dropped open and I continued to stare, my eyes unable to leave his face. Zuko paused, his brain apparently catching up with his mouth and looked away, a red flush creeping up his cheeks.

"So why don't you?" I breathed before I could stop myself.

Zuko turned to look at me, his face dumbfounded. I watched, holding my breath, and his expression changed from surprised to nervous to a strange sort of determination. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized how close we actually were. I could see each fleck of brown in his golden eyes, and heat emanating from him was intoxicating.

I don't know if he leaned in first or I did, but the moment his lips touched mine everything else just melted away.

The kiss was nothing like the one on the mountain, but somehow breathtaking and wonderful in it's own, completely different way. It was slow and sweet, and our lips moved against each other with an incredible tenderness. I poured all my unspoken feelings into that kiss - the way Zuko made my heart pound and my stomach flutter, the overwhelming protectiveness I felt towards him, the way I didn't want to be with anyone but him ever again - and he simply absorbed them, reaching a hand up to cup my cheek gently and pull me closer towards him.

Eventually, after what could have been seconds or minutes or even hours, I didn't know, he pulled away, his eyes slowly fluttering open to look at me with the utmost awe. The overwhelmingly _happy_ look on his face made my breath catch in my throat again, and for a few seconds I couldn't do anything but stare.

"Wow," I said finally, letting out a breathless little laugh. I became suddenly shy, glancing down as the pink crept up my cheeks and the giddy smile spread across my face. Zuko's hand came up under my chin again and tilted it upwards gently, so I was looking into those endless pools of gold once more.

"Wow," he agreed softly. His eyes widened suddenly as if he was coming to his senses, and he blushed deeply, looking away for a second before he glanced back at me, unsure. "Was that... I mean, I don't know if you... did you..." he stammered adorably, and I bit my lip to hide the smirk that was threatening to escape.

"Zuko," I cut him off, looking at him seriously. "Shut up."

And then before he could speak, I leaned forward and captured his lips once more.

* * *

**Wooohooooo, they kissed! *fires confetti cannon* And it only took them thirty chapters to come their senses! xD Oh man, I have been planning this moment for the _longest_ time, and I can't wait to see your reactions. ;) ****Super long chapter too, but then again, there was no way I could cut this in half.**

**What did you guys think of Jin? I actually like Jin quite a bit, I think she's a very sweet character with a slightly coy side. I don't believe that she's all that innocent, I mean did you guys see the look she gave Zuko at the Firelight Fountain? She definitely wants some red hot Zuko lovin'. Who can blame her? ;)**

**Of course, the main reason I like Jin is because I get to use her to make Kioni super duper green-as-grass jealous. ;D Ohhh, jealous!Kioni is so much fun to write. She would totally be the type to sulk in her jealousy and deny that she's jealous, but she totally is. Honey, you're not fooling anyone, especially not Iroh.**

**But Zuko finally admitted how he feels! And they kissed! Yaaaay! Of course, this isn't the end of their adventures in Ba Sing Se, not by a long shot, as you guys know...**

**PLEASE REVIEW! Over 125 people subscribe to this story, but I only get about 10 reviews per chapter... that's less than 10% of you! :( I worked really hard writing this, so if you could just take a few seconds to tell me what you thought and give me some feedback, that would be really really appreciated. And a major thank you to those people who consistently review almost every chapter! You guys are my faves. :)**

**Next up: Lake Laogai.**


	31. Lake Laogai (Part 1)

_"Even if you're lost you can't lose the love you've got within your heart," _I sang quietly under my breath as I wiped down the tables in the tea shop the next morning. As I pulled down the chairs and swept the floor, I continued humming to myself, moving around the shop as if I were dancing.

"Well, doesn't someone seem cheerful this morning," Iroh remarked as he came in from the back room, tying the apron around himself.

"It's a beautiful spring day, Uncle," I smiled, putting the broom aside and sashaying over to where he was. "What's not to enjoy?" Iroh looked at me suspiciously for a second before he returned the smile.

"So, you feel better than you did last night?" he asked, perturbed by my seemingly sudden change of mood.

"Oh, yes," I answered, smiling secretively to myself. "I was just being silly." Iroh regarded me curiously for a moment again before he started to prepare the first pot of tea for the day.

I stood there for a second before clearing my throat. "Um, have you, er... seen Zuko this morning?" I asked nonchalantly.

"No, I think he is still doing his morning meditation exercises," Iroh answered without pausing. "He should arrive in a few minutes." I shrugged once as if I didn't really care and went to go grab the teacups from the china drawer.

There was a knock on the door and both Iroh and I turned to see the door creak open slowly. After a second, Jin peered around the corner, looking wary and slightly anxious. Her eyes landed on us and she looked signficantly more relieved; she stepped into shop and shut the door quietly behind her.

"Jin!" Iroh said, looking as confused as I felt. "It is very nice to see you. But the tea shop doesn't open for another half hour."

"I know, I just thought..." Jin glanced quickly around the shop to make sure no one else was there before she walked forward. "I just thought I should come before Lee got here. I just wanted to redeem this." She handed Uncle a coupon for a free cup of tea, and Iroh took it with a frown.

"Did something happen?" Iroh asked.

"Oh... he didn't say anything?" Jin said, fiddling with her braid. "I probably shouldn't either then. I'll just go sit down."

I felt a pang of guilt as Jin flitted away from the counter and sat down at a table close to the door, by herself. Iroh poured her a cup of tea from the pot that had just been freshly brewed, and he was about to take it over when I put a hand on his arm.

"Let me," I offered, and Iroh nodded, handing me the cup. Slowly, I made my way over to Jin and handed her the cup.

"Thank you," she smiled at me. I hung awkwardly around the table for a second, shifting from foot to foot.

"Is everything alright?" I asked finally, feeling quite uncomfortable but also kind of guilty.

"Oh, don't worry about me!" Jin laughed. "I'm just trying to avoid any awkwardness... see, my date with Lee yesterday didn't go all that great."

"Oh?" I asked, sitting down and trying to look as if I hadn't already heard.

"Yeah, we just didn't click," she said dismissively. "It's not a big deal though, I just think he'd feel better if he didn't see me."

At that moment, the back door swung open and Zuko walked in, dressed in his normal tea serving clothes. His eyes scanned the room and then lit up as they landed on me. I couldn't help the shy grin that rose on my face as Zuko gave me a small smile, and I waved slightly at him, noticing suddenly that the room seemed much brighter.

"You're not really cousins, are you?"

I broke away from my staring to turn back to Jin, who was watching the exchange between me and Zuko with a sad, knowing smile. My eyes widened and I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"Last night, Lee said he couldn't kiss me because it was 'complicated'," Jin said. "You're what's complicated. Am I right?"

"I... I don't..." I stammered, not sure what to say. Jin didn't look angry or upset or jealous at all, just slightly resigned.

"It's okay," Jin cut me off, clearly sensing my discomfort. "Honestly, I saw it earlier, and I shouldn't have interfered. He really likes you. And I can tell you really like him too."

"Um," I said coherently, ducking my head and sending another covert glance towards Zuko, who was arranging teacups on the counter. "Can you please not... tell anyone?"

"Oh, of course not!" Jin held her hands up and I felt slightly more relieved. "Although you might want to be a bit careful, because I'm pretty sure cousins dating is frowned upon in Ba Sing Se." She said this with a teasing voice, winking at me, and I blushed.

"We're not really... I mean, I don't really know what..." I gestured with my hands to try to signify 'relationship'. Wow, I was all kinds of articulate today. Jin gave me a slightly puzzled look before she set down her cup of tea.

"Well, anyway, I guess I'll see you around," she smiled once more at me, but it was certainly more subdued that I'd seen her previously. The guilt rose up in me again and I felt like I should have said something else, something to make her feel better, to apologize for the situation I'd put her in. It wasn't her fault really, she was just a normal girl trying to have a nice night.

"Jin," I called out as she left, and she turned back with a questioning look. "I... I'm sorry."

Her face softened as if she knew what I was trying to say and she gave me another smile. "Seriously, Aria, don't worry about it," she said cheerfully. "I'm fine, I promise." I nodded dumbly as she exited the tea shop, her braid swishing softly behind her.

"What was that all about?" a voice murmured in my air, and I jumped about five feet in the air.

"Holy-!" I cried, whirling around and nearly falling on my butt. A hand shot out and grabbed my arm, steadying me before I could fall. "Geez, Zuko," I breathed, putting a hand on my heart as he looked at me with worried eyes.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck adorably. "Why were you talking to Jin?"

"She came in to redeem her cup of free tea," I shrugged. "And I felt kind of bad for her. Apparently she went on a date last night and the guy was a total flop," I teased, and Zuko's eyes widened as a highly offended look appeared on his face.

"Hey!" he protested and I giggled, nudging his shoulder playfully as I walked away to go help Iroh in the back.

I didn't talk to Zuko again for the next few hours, because once the tea shop opened, there was a constant stream of people entering and exiting. It was remarkable how much business had grown since we'd arrived - a fact I attributed entirely to Iroh's tea making skills. It wasn't only people from the Lower Ring who came to Pao's shop anymore; it wasn't unusual to see citizens who were dressed in much nicer clothing and from the Middle and even Upper Rings come in to enjoy the tea.

For example, this one gentleman and his two companions, who looked more like his henchmen or something, were sitting near the door, enjoying a pot of white gooseberry tea, one of Iroh's specialties. As I collected the cups from a table nearby, I couldn't help but notice the greedy glances the man was sending Iroh's way.

Iroh walked by to refill their cups, and I saw them exchange another glance before standing up and following him. Curious, I stopped with my hands full of tea cups to listen in on their conversation.

"So you're the genius behind this incredible brew!" the man boomed in a loud voice that negated the need to eavesdrop. "The whole city is buzzing about you! I hope Pao pays you well." The man gave Iroh a sidelong glance and I realized immediately that he was a businessman.

"Good tea is its own reward," Iroh replied humbly, looking graciously flattered by the praise.

"But it doesn't have to be the only reward," the businessman said slyly. "How would you like your own tea shop?"

My eyes widened at the same time Iroh's did, a comical look of disbelief coming onto his face. "My own tea shop?!" he cried. "This is a dream come true!"

A slow smile spread across my face at Iroh's excitement; however, Pao did not share in this excitement. He came bustling forward, a panicked look on his face. I frowned slightly; this was the first time I'd seen Pao all week. Honestly, we seemed to be in his tea shop more often than he was.

"What's going on here?" he said hurriedly. He stood protectively in front of Iroh, as if shielding him from the businessman. "Are you trying to poach my tea maker?"

It was a rather funny sight actually, poor little Pao trying to hold his own against this man, who was clearly very wealthy and affluent. He must have been from the Upper Ring. Pao didn't stand a chance, and I felt a little sorry for him, but my happiness for Iroh overshadowed my pity.

"Sorry, Pao, but that's business for you, am I right?" the businessman smirked.

"Mushi, if you stay... I'll make you assistant manager!" Pao said to Iroh, looking more and more nervous. "Wait - senior assistant manager!"

"I'll provide you with a new apartment in the Upper Ring," the businessman said smoothly. "The tea shop is yours to do whatever you want! Complete creative freedom." Iroh's eyes widened even further as if he could hardly believe what was happening to him.

"What's going on?" a voice muttered in my ear for the second time today. And again, I jumped, turning to see Zuko standing _quite_ close to me.

"You have got to stop doing that," I told him, and a tiny smirk tugged the corners of his mouth. I gestured to the exchange in front of us. "I think we might be moving."

Zuko raised his eyebrows, but before he spoke, Iroh's ecstatic voice rang out, "I even get to name the shop?"

"Of course!" the businessman laughed, and I knew by the look on Iroh's face that he was sold. Pao turned to him desperately again.

"Senior _executive_ assistant manager?" he tried once more, pleadingly, but Iroh merely put the teapot in Pao's hands and bowed in gratitude to the businessman, while Pao made a noise of dismay.

"Did you hear, Aria, Lee?" Iroh asked, turning to us. "This man wants to give us our own tea shop in the Upper Ring of the city!"

"That's right, kids," the businessman said grandly. "Your lives are about to change for the better!"

I was about to congratulate Iroh and thank the man when Zuko cut me off. "I'll try to contain my joy," he said sarcastically, setting the tray down with a clang and stomping out the door, removing his apron along the way. I watched him go with surprise, wondering what had brought on the sudden grumpiness.

"Um... he probably just needs some time to get used to the idea," I apologized to the man, who was looking after Zuko in shock. "Thank you sir, we are most grateful. And congratulations Uncle." I bowed to the man and smiled at Iroh before hurrying to follow Zuko out the door.

As soon as I walked out the door and looked up, I saw his feet disappear over the corner of the roof. Frowning, I glanced around again before pushing up and launching myself upwards on a small column of earth. I flew through the air and grabbed onto the edge of the roof, swinging myself up to land feet first on the tiles.

Zuko was sitting with his head resting on his arms, looking moodily over the city. He glanced up in surprise when he heard me land, his face softening only slightly when he saw it was me. Confused, I walked over and sat down beside him.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly. "Iroh just got his own tea shop, and we get to move to the Upper Ring. Aren't you happy?"

"You wouldn't understand," Zuko muttered, looking away from me.

"Hey," I whispered, putting a hand on his face and turning it towards me. "Try me." Zuko looked hesitant for a second before he softened.

"It's just... I'm happy for Uncle," he said, the melancholy tone of his voice saying differently. "But moving to the Upper Ring... his own tea shop... it makes everything so much more _permanent_."

"Isn't that a good thing?" I asked, confused. "We finally have some stability in our lives."

"I don't want to be stable in Ba Sing Se!" Zuko cried, looking considerably upset. "The longer we stay here, the more I dislike the city, and in the Upper Ring there are only going to be more rules and restrictions and secrecy." He turned to me pleadingly, as if begging me to understand. "Maybe it's not as different for you here, because you're from the Earth Kingdom, but don't you miss your home?"

I bit my lip, because I did. I did miss Omashu, and I missed my grandfather, but here we finally had some sense of _home_. I could see where Zuko was coming from - he didn't want just a sense of home, he wanted his actual home.

"I'm grateful for the chance to be able to make a life," Zuko said quietly, looking out over the city. "But this isn't the life I was meant to have. I can deny it and pretend all I want for the sake of our safety, but I _am_ the prince of the Fire Nation. I'm supposed to be Fire Lord someday. And living here, masquerading as a simple peasant, just Lee, the nephew of a tea shop owner... it's not who I'm supposed to be. But it's starting to seem like there's no hope that I'll ever be anything else."

As much as I didn't want to hear him, I understood what he was saying. Zuko was Fire Nation, it was who he was and it was in his blood. We sat in silence for a few moments as I tried to think of something to say.

"I'm sorry," I said after a few moments, because there was nothing else I could say. "Maybe... maybe at least for now, we can be happy here?" I turned to him questioningly, and he looked at me again, his eyes full of sadness.

"Hey, no matter what, you have me, okay?" I said, putting a hand on his cheek and searching his face. A quiet sigh escaped his lips and he nodded, somewhat resignedly. Smiling slightly, I tentatively leaned forward and kissed him softly.

Zuko stiffened for a second in surprise before he let out a little hum of contentment and leaned in, scooting closer to me so that our legs were pressed together. After a second I pulled away, breathless and smiling, and his eyes opened with that same look of wonder.

"You know, that look of awe on your face is really quite flattering," I teased, although I was blushing happily. Zuko rolled his eyes at me, but the half smile on his face gave him away, and my stomach squirmed pleasantly as he ducked his head to kiss me again.

Kissing Zuko was nice. Okay, scratch that, kissing Zuko was _awesome_. I felt a smile form against my mouth as we kissed and I couldn't help the way my heart rate increased and the excitement started to flow through my veins. If I knew how great kissing Zuko was, I would have definitely gotten over my denial and pretending that I didn't like him a lot sooner.

"You know, twenty four hours ago I would have never imagined my life to be like this," I murmured, pulling back slightly. Zuko's eyes flickered open, gazing into mine.

"Well, twenty four hours ago, I would have never done this," he said in a low voice, his golden eyes sparkling. In a swift movement, Zuko rolled over and swung one knee over me so that he hovered above me with his hands resting on either side of my head. All my breath left my lungs in a whoosh as I leaned back until my back rested on the tiled roof. His mouth curved in a half smirk as the breeze ruffled slightly in his hair, and I could feel the warmth rolling off him like waves.

"Are you just going to stay there?" I whispered, my heart pounding like an entire marching band was in my chest, and Zuko smirked, leaning down to press his lips against mine.

I reached up to grab the lapels of his shirt, pulling him down further, and tilted my head as to deepen the kiss, relishing in the sweet taste of his lips. We weren't touching except at the mouth, but somehow that made it so much more exciting, because I could clearly feel Zuko's form above me, emanating heat and strength. I parted my mouth slightly, shivering as his tongue grazed my lower lip.

"Lee! Lee!"

Zuko pulled back, his eyes opening wide with shock as the door of the tea shop opened with a jingle and Iroh walked out. My eyes grew with panic, but Zuko silently pressed a finger to my lips, so I held my breath and remained still.

"Up here, Uncle!" he called, his voice surprisingly steady. There was a pause before Iroh called back, and I prayed that he couldn't see us from where he was standing.

"Is Aria with you?" Iroh asked. I took a slight breath through my nose before answering.

"Yeah, I'm here!" I answered, my voice cracking slightly. Zuko raised an eyebrow at me and I blushed.

"What are you doing on the roof?" Iroh asked, sounding slightly suspicious.

"Just talking," Zuko answered smoothly and I bit my lip to hide the snort of laughter. Zuko shot me a warning look and I raised my eyebrows at our current position as if to say _Really? Just talking?_, which caused him to blush slightly.

"Well, come down soon and help me pack up the apartment!" Iroh said from below. Zuko made a noise of frustration and I giggled quietly, pushing his shoulders gently so he moved away from me. "I'll be waiting!" Iron called again, and Zuko rolled his eyes fiercely.

"We're not going to tell him?" I asked, looking at Zuko curiously. "About... this?" I gestured between the two of us, and then I realized I didn't even really know what _this_ was.

"He'd be so smug about it," Zuko muttered. "Trust me, he'd never let us live it down." I shrugged; he wasn't wrong. Besides, technically we were still pretending to be cousins, so subtlety would have to be a major part in whatever _this_ was.

"Alright, come on, let's go help Iroh," I said, walking to the edge of the roof. After a second, I noticed he wasn't following me and turned back questioningly.

"You go ahead," Zuko said, waving one hand. "I'm just gonna stay up here for a few more minutes."

"Okay," I said, frowning slightly. I didn't want him to sit up here all alone and mope, but I thought the best thing to do was to probably give him a little bit of space. He'd come around soon enough and see that this was a good thing for all of us. We'd finally have a stable home and a source of money, live in the Upper Ring, and Iroh would own his own tea shop.

A nagging voice in the back of my head reminded me of the possibility that it wouldn't be enough for Zuko, but I pushed it aside as I lowered myself off the roof and started to walk back to the apartment.

_Things are looking up, _I thought to myself, but a tiny part of me wondered how long it would last.

* * *

Zuko watched Kioni leave, her olive green skirt fluttering slightly in the breeze, and despite his bad mood, the smallest of smiles appeared on his face. Last night, he'd finally told the earthbender how he felt, and they had kissed and cuddled under the stars and it had been the happiest Zuko had felt in a very long time. However, despite the way she made his stomach squirm and his heart rate increase, Zuko still didn't feel at peace.

He doubted he would ever feel at peace while in Ba Sing Se.

The uneasiness that had been prevalent in him since they'd moved to the city was only growing stronger with each passing day. In the Lower Ring, he'd been able to get along by blending into the background, staying out of the streets, because everyone here had a dozen other problems to worry about and their own lives to manage, so nobody noticed him. And that was how he liked it.

But now that they were about to move into the Upper Ring, Zuko knew that he would have to be out in the public eye a lot more. It wouldn't be enough to just not exist, he'd have to actively pretend to be a part of the Earth Kingdom.

It had been alright in the Lower Ring, because nobody really cared that much for the strict rules and regulations, except for the ones actively enforced by the Dai Li. But Zuko knew how it was in higher society - there were all sorts of unspoken rules that you had to follow, and he was certain he'd have to mold himself into an Earth Kingdom boy in order to survive.

He didn't know if he could do that. He didn't _want_ to do that. He was Fire Nation through and through and being Fire Nation, he'd always held a fierce pride for his country. Although lately, much of his pride had dwindled away, the result of being thrust into humbling poverty.

The sound of something fluttering in the wind broke Zuko out of his thoughts, and he turned to see a piece of paper caught on the spire at the end of the roof, flapping violently as if trying to get away. Zuko noticed suddenly that there were lots of papers flying about, descending slowly over the Lower Ring as if they'd just fallen from the sky.

Curious, Zuko got up and walked along the roof, reaching out to grab the piece of paper off the spire. Smoothing the sheet over in his hands, he looked down at what seemed to be a poster.

_LOST: Sky Bison. Answers to the name of Appa. If seen, please contact Avatar Aang in the Upper Ring._

Zuko's eyes widened hugely as he read the poster again, scanning the drawings of the sky bison and the very familiar boyish young face with an arrow tattoo on his forehead. Zuko's heart began to thump madly as the hope rose exponentially inside him.

The Avatar was here. The Avatar was in Ba Sing Se.

Zuko's mind began racing immediately and he was almost overwhelmed with the sudden rush of hope, will, and determination that surged through him. Here, here was the solution to all his problems. If he could find the Avatar, if he could capture him - he would finally restore his honor. He could leave this forsaken city.

He could finally go home.

* * *

"Uncle, I'm home!" I called as I walked into the apartment. Iroh looked up from where he was kneeling by the kitchen table and putting the silverware into a large wooden trunk.

"Oh, good," he smiled at me in greeting. "I've been thinking of some names for my tea shop. What do you think of 'The Leaping Lemur'?"

"Er..." I said, scratching my head and thinking about it. "It's not bad, but it doesn't seem very... you."

"No, you're right," Iroh frowned, thinking hard. "How about... 'The Flaming Dragon'?" I made a face. "Too obvious?"

"A little bit," I replied, heading towards the bedroom. "I'm going to go pack up my things."

"'The Jasmine Dragon'?" Iroh asked, mostly thinking out loud.

"I like that one!" I called over my shoulder as I walked through the doors and slid them shut behind me. Once inside, I reached under my bed and pulled out my knapsack, starting to pack my clothes into it.

Besides the clothes I was wearing now, I had one pair of sleep clothes and the clothes I'd worn while we were traveling to Ba Sing Se. I wished I had kept the clothes I'd worn in Omashu with me; I would have finally been able to wear them in the Upper Ring, but unfortunately they were still somewhere in that deserted town. Oh well, hopefully I'd be able to find some similiar ones in the Upper Ring markets.

In addition to that, I packed in my hair chopsticks into the small pocket on the inside flap. Hopefully I'd be able to finally wear these again as well. Looking around for my swords, I spotted them peeking out from under the bed next to the nightstand in the middle of the room. As I ducked down to grab them a flash of something blue in the slightly open drawer caught my eye.

Bending down, I opened the drawer all the way and let out a sharp gasp of shock.

Staring up at me was the terrifying face of the Blue Spirit mask in all it's glory, resting on a set of folded up, jet black clothes. I picked up the mask, my mind racing as I tried to figure out why it was here. Why would Zuko need this mask again? Why did he even have it? Was he sneaking out at night as the Blue Sprit... to do what?

I was determined to go confront him about it, and as soon as I stood up I heard Iroh's voice in the other room. "So, I was thinking about names for my new tea shop," Iroh said, and I realized Zuko must have come back. "How about the Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, and has a nice ring to it."

I was about to open the doors and go back into the living room, but Zuko's next words froze me in my tracks.

"The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se," he said. "And he's lost his bison."

There was silence in the other room, and I leaned against the wall, my heart pounding and my mind whirling. Aang was here in Ba Sing Se? And he'd lost Appa? I thought back to that night on the ship when I'd seen Appa flying overhead with no one on his back. That had been weeks and weeks ago. How long had Appa been lost?

"We have a chance for a new life here," Iroh's voice came again from the other room. "If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us."

Zuko was going to go after Aang? My heart nearly stopped and I opened my mouth in dread. No, no, no, this couldn't be happening. Not now.

"Good things that are happening for you!" Zuko cried, his voice raising. "Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea?"

"There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity," Iroh said. "I suggest that you think about what it is that you want from your life, and why." Before Zuko even spoke, I knew what he was going to say.

"I want my destiny," he said, but the unspoken _I want to go home_ was clear.

"What that means is up to you," Iroh said, his voice unusually stern. I heard the stomping of footsteps and the slam of a door, and I realized Zuko had stormed out of the apartment.

"The Tea Weevil!" Iroh cried to himself, having just been struck by an idea. There was a pause, and then: "No, that's stupid."

I leaned against the wall, my heart hammering with fear and thought about what had just happened. Aang was in Ba Sing Se, and it looked like Zuko was going to forget about everything that had happened these last few weeks and regress back to his mindless hunt for the Avatar. I felt like crying. Had these last few weeks meant nothing?!

Pulling myself together, I realized that I had to do something. This would _not_ be like the North Pole all over again; I wouldn't let it be. I had to find Zuko before he went through with whatever he was planning and talk some sense into him. Make him realize that he could be happy here in the Upper Ring with Iroh and his tea shop. With _me._

My mind raced furiously as I tried to think about what Zuko would do, and how I could catch up to him and convince him before it was too late. He couldn't just barge around the city looking for Aang, surely the Avatar would have some kind of protection or escort. Suddenly, the realization came to me.

I looked down at the blue mask in my hands with a growing sense of dread. The longer I looked at the mask, and thought about what it meant, the more I realized what I had to do.

I _would_ make Zuko see sense. _After all_, I thought grimly, putting the mask back in the drawer and closing it quietly. _That is_ **_my_** _destiny._

* * *

**First of all, I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the lovely reviews for the last chapter! I got so many reviews saying "Yes! Finally!" or something along those lines. xD Thanks so much guys, you're the best! **

**Some of you may be wondering about Jin's reaction in this chapter. In case you don't remember, the main reason Kioni and Zuko are pretending to be related is so that they have a go-to story for while they're traveling together. I figured it would be much easier to make it through all the immigration stuff if they say they're related instead of just "Oh yeah... this is my uncle and my sort of friend/enemy." Ja feel? **

**As a fellow citizen of the Lower Ring and assumed refugee (or at least the child of refugees), I think Jin would understand this. Kioni asks her to keep it quiet so that they don't draw unnecessary attention to themselves, leading Jin to give her the teasing warning about cousins dating. I think most people in the Lower Ring try to fly under the radar, so it would make sense that Jin understands this.**

**Just in case that wasn't clear and you were wondering why Jin let it slide so easily! **

**Some Kiuko make-outy goodness in this chapter hehe... but also the significant absence of a 'what are we' talk. Did you really expect anything else from them? And yes, they're keeping it a secret from Iroh for now, partially to avoid his inevitable smugness and partially because they have no idea what they'd say. **

**Do any of you watch How I Met Your Mother? If you do, there's that one episode at the start of Barney and Robin's relationship in like, season 5 or something, where they're hiding it from their friends because every time they sit down to have 'the talk' they decide it would be more fun to partake in sexytimes instead. I feel like Kiuko is kind of like Barney and Robin in this stage, but more PG. Yes, they're teenagers, but it's been one day for goodness' sakes! xD**

**Anyway, please let me know your thoughts for this chapter! The influx of reviews for the last chapter was great and I would love it if we could keep that up! Anyone have any predictions for what Kioni's going to do? ;D**

**Next up: Lake Laogai, part 2. **


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